C^   l^  UC-NRLF 

341 
O£ 


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HOW  TO  RAISE  THEM  PROFITABLY. 


DETAILS  OP  EXPERIENCE, 
From     the    Selection    ot     Seed    and    Preparation    of    the 


ound,    to    Harvesting    and    Marketing    the    Crop. 


STATEMENTS    OF 

SEVENTEEN  PRACTICAL  ONION  GROWERS. 

Residing  in  different  sections  of  the  country,  most  of  whom  have  been  en- 

gaged from  ten  to  thirty  years  in  raising  Onions  largely  for  market,  etc.  ; 

to  which  is  added  an  Illustrated  Description  of  the  Onion  Ply 


SIXTEENTH     THOUSAND. 


t  Mew  -  York : 

PTJBT^ISHKD     BY    ORANGKE    JTJDD    &    CO., 
245    BROADWAY. 


Entered   according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  I*-;''.*,  by  OUANGK  JUDD.  in  the  Clerk's  Offixr  ».f  the   District 
Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New-York 


Range 

Shelf. 

/) 
Received 

,  r 


PRACTICAL     DETAILS, 


From  the  Selection  and  Preparation  of  the  Soil,  and   Setting  and   Cultivation   of  the 
Plants,  to  Picking,  Drying,  Pressing,  and  Marketing  the  Crop. 

PLAIN  DIRECTIONS. 


AS    OIVRN    I!T    TKS 


Residing  in  the  best  Hop-Growing  Sections  in  the  United  States, 
ILLUSTRATED    WITH    OVER    FORTY    ENGRAVINGS 


i 

' 


New  -  York  :  * 

PUBLISHED    BY    ORANGK    JTIDD    &    CO 
245   Broadway. 


~ 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Contcreu.  in  the  year  1865,  liy  OIKNUI  Jfi>o.  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of 

the  District  Court  of  the  United  State*  for  the  Southern  Diitrict  of  New-Vvrk.  Hi 


ONION     CULTURE. 


PRIZE      ESSAYS. 


EXPLANATION. 

fTHE  following  articles  were  written  in  response  to  a  PREMIUM  offered  by  the  Editor  of  the  Ameriam 
Agriculturist  (New- York,)  "  for  the  best  pte  practical  directions  on  raising  onions;  to  be  written  by  an  <a 
priest  OnL  AUNT;  not  to  exceed  twelve  pages  of  manuscript;  to  embrace  the ^various  items,  from  he 
selection  of  theseed  to  marketing  the  crop-all  written  out  so  plainly  as  to  be  usefnl  to  those  who  have  had  ,ttle 
or  no  experience  in  the  cultivation  of  this  crop."    An  unexpectedly  large  number  of  good  art.cles i  on tin. 
subject  were  received  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  all  of  which  contain  more  or  less  of  valuable  h,nt 
and  suggestions,  which  will  be  generally  useful.    As  room  for  but  one  or  two  only  could  be  j 
jjMM*  the  Editor  conceived  he  would  be  doing  good  service  to  cultivators  at  large  by  select.ng  th 
Xing  es^ys,  and  publishing  them  in  this  convenient  form-a  suitable  consideration  havmg  been  offered 
'o  the  several  witer"  and  their  individual  consent  obtained.    With  slight  verbal  corrections  the  several 
articles  are  inserted  here  just  as  written.    They  follow  each  other  about  in  the  order  received,  w,th, 
to  particular  value.] 


No.  I. 

[THE  writer  of  the  following  has,  we  believe,  had  an  experience  of  some  thirty  years  in  growing  onion, 
for  market,— ED.] 

BY  WM.  J.  JENNINGS,  OF  WESTPORT,  CT. 


SELECTION  OF  GROUND.— A.  deep  loamy  soil  is  con- 
sidered the  best  for  onions,  though  they  will  grow  on 
soil  a  large  proportion  of  which  is  clay.  A  light 
porous  soil  with  a  gravelly  subsoil  should  be  avoided. 
The  surface  of  the  ground  should  be  nearly  level,  as 
hilly  ground  is  liable  to  wash  from  heavy  rains.  In 
selecting  a  piece  of  ground  for  onions,  there  are  sev- 
eral things  that  should  be  considered. 

1st  Ground  that  is  stony  should  be  avoided,  unless 
the  cost  of  removing  the  stones  is  first  considered. 

2d.  Ground  that  is  overrun  by  weeds  and  trouble- 
some grasses,  should  not  be  chosen  until  they  are  first 
subdued. 

3d.  Ground  that  is  shaded  will  not  do ;  neither  that 
which  is  too  wet  to  be  worked  early  in  the  spring. 

Having  attended  to  the  foregoing  hints,  it  is  also 
important  to  select  with  reference  to  cultivating  the 
same  ground  for  onions  for  an  indefinite  length  of  time, 
for  in  so  doing,  the  labor  of  first  preparation  is  avoided ; 
oesides,  each  succeeding  crop  is  more  easily  cultivated, 
provided  the  previous  work  has  been  thoroughly  done. 


PREPARATION  OP  GROUND  FOR  SOWING.  —  Havmg 
made  a  suitable  selection  of  ground,  the  next  thing  to 
be  considered  is  its  preparation.  First  gather  out  the 
stones  pretty  thoroughly — putting  the  largest  ones  into 
fences,  the  middling-sized  ones  into  blind  ditches,  and 
the  smallest  ones  into  the  mud-holes  of  the  roads.  In 
this  way  some  good  is  done.  Above  all,  avoid  the 
heathenish  practice  of  emptying  them  by  the  road- 
side, not  only  disfiguring  the  roads,  but  giving  a  har- 
bor for  briers,  elders,  and  the  ten  thousand  noxious 
weeds  that  now  infest  such  places.  In  the  next  place 
give  the  ground  a  heavy  coat  of  the  best  manure. 
Hog- pen  is  the  best  home-made  manure;  next,  stable, 
if  not  too  coarse ;  next,  common  barnyard,  well  rotted. 
As  to  the  quantity  of  manure  on  an  acre,  that  must 
be  determined  in  part  by  the  condition  of  the  soil. 
From  twenty  to  thirty  loads  of  forty  bushels  per  load, 
make  a  very  good  coat  to  begin  with.  After  this  is 
deeply  ploughed  in,  a  top  dressing  of  wood  ashes— say 
150  or  200  bushels  to  the  acre,  may  be  given,  or  from 
300  to  500  Ibs.  of  guano,  or  bones  ground  or  sawed 


HOW   TO    RAISE    ONIONS. 


are  good,  or  any  well-pulverized  manure  that  will 
not  be  in  the  way  of  the  harrow  and  rake  may  be 
oe  used.  But  take  care  not  to  use  seedy  manure  if 
you  wish  to  save  much  labor  and  patience.  Manure 
may  be  carted  on  and  ploughed  under  in  the  fall,  or 
in  the  spring  just  before  sowing.  If  the  ground  is 
ploughed  in  the  fall,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  re- 
plough  in  the  spring.  Fall  ploughing  should  be  put 
off  as  long  as  possible — say  to  the  middle  of  November. 

Having  manured  and  ploughed  your  ground,  it  is 
now  to  be  harrowed  and  raked,  until  it  is  as  even  and 
smooth  as  a  beet-bed.  Harrows  of  either  iron  or 
wooden  teeth  are  first  used  to  bring  the  ground  to  a 
general  level,  and  the  stones  to  the  surface;  the  brush 
or  bush-harrows  are  then  used  until  the  lumps  are 
pulverized,  and  the  surface  of  the  ground  made 
smooth,  then  wooden  hand-rakes,  of  twelve  teeth 
each,  are  applied  to  take  off  the  small  stones  and  fin- 
ish for  sowing. 

Manure  for  top-dressing  may  be  harrowed  or  raked 
in,  and  if  guano  is  used,  it  is  well  to  make  a  second 
application  during  the  growth  of  the  crop,  which  may 
be  scuffled  in  by  the  hoe.  All  manure  used  should  be 
ploughed  under  or  mixed  with  the  soil  immediately 
after  it  is  spread. 

SOWING. — Now  then  the  seed  is  to  be  committed  to 
the  ground.  And  here  a  word  or  two  of  caution  is 
necessary.  Be  careful  what  seed  is  sown.  If  you  are 
under  the  necessity  of  buying  seed,  procure  it  of  some 
reliable  man,  a  regular,  honest  onion-grower.  It 
should  not  be  over  one  year  old,  and  should  sink  when 
placed  in  water.  Better  not  trust  to  seed-merchants, 
unless  actually  obliged  to.  Rather  pay  $5  per  pound 
for  reliable  seed,  than  get  doubtful  seed  for  nothing. 
Having  obtained  your  seed,  say  from  three  to  four  Ibs. 
per  acre,  you  now  proceed  to  deposit  it  in  the  ground, 
which  is  done,  where  onions  are  raised  to  much  ex- 
tent, by  a  simple  machine,  (costing  $5,)  drawn  by 
hand,  making  two  drills  twelve  inches  apart,  aiid 
dropping  the  seed  in  them  at  the  same  time.  Next 
comes  the  covering  process,  which  consists  in  drawing 
a  hand-roller  over  the  ground  lengthwise  the  rows; 
or,  which  is  the  mosc  common  way,  pushing  a  clean 
Dright  hoe  over  the  drills.  This  may  be  done  by  uoys, 
as  they  make  smaller  and  lighter  tracks  than  men. 
Commence  the  work  straight,  ani  then  be  careful  to 
keep  it  so ;  not  but  that  crooked  rows  make  straight 
onions,  but  for  the  beauty  and  neatness  of  the  thing. 
A  man  accustomed  to  it  will  sow  three  acres  a  day. 
The  time  for  sowing  is  the  month  of  April,  earlier  or 
later,  according  to  the  state  of  the  ground.  It  is  gen- 
erally found  that  the  earliest-sowed  onions,  pther 
things  being  equal,  do  the  best. 

CULTIVATION. — About  four  weeks  from  the  time  of 
sowing,  cultivation  commences  in  earnest.  The  first 
ihing  to  be  done  in  this  department  is  to  go  through 
them  with  an  onion  hoe,  as  soon  as  the  rows  can  be 


distinctly  seen,  when  the  dew  is  on  in  the  morning. 
The  hoeing  this  time  must  be  light — -just  skimming  the 
top  of  the  ground — the  hoe  being  put  forward  and 
drawn  toward  the  hoer.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days 
weeding  must  be  commenced ;  removing  all  the  weeds 
from  among  the  onions.  This  part  of  the  work  is  usu- 
ally performed  by  boys,  for  various  reasons  :  1st.  Be- 
cause they 'can  be  hired  for  about  half  the  price  of 
men.  2d.  A  good  active  boy,  fifteen  or  sixteen  years 
old,  can  do  as  much,  or  more  work  than  a  man ;  and 
also  because  it  is  less  tiresome  for  boys  than  full-grown 
men  :  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  stooping  or 
crawling  posture  must  be  assumed  in  weeding  onion?. 
In  other  words,  whoever  does  this  work  must  get 
down  to  them,  eyes,  fingers,  and  all,  and  not  be 
ashamed  of  bis  occupation,  or  of  soiling  his  clothes. 
The  tools  needed  for  hoeing  and  weeding  onions  are 
few  and  simple.  The  most  approved  hoe  in  use,  is 
usually  made  from  a  buck-saw  plate,  either  new  or 
worn,  cut  about  eight  inches  in  length,  and  from  one 
to  two  inches  in  width,  with  a  goose-neck  riveted  or. 
the  inside  of  it;  or  to  make  the  hoe  stiffer,  two  goose- 
necks are  used,  riveted  as  before,  but  about  one  and  a 
half  inches  from  the  ends  of  the  plate,  and  uniting  in 
one  shank  in  the  handle,  which  may  be  about  five  feet 
long.  This  hoe  should  be  kept  clean  and  bright,  so 
that  the  dirt  will  slide  over  it  without  being  much  dis- 
placed. A  push  or  scuffle-hoe  is  sometimes  used  iti 
the  advanced  growth  of  the  crop.  The  tools  used  for 
weeding,  aside  from  whaj  nature  has  provided,  are  a 
crooked  knife,  (common  case  or  shoe-knife  with  the 
lower  end  bent  up,)  and  a  weeder  made  of  thin  steel 
plate,  about  two  inches  long  and  one  wide,  riveted 
with  a  goose-neck,  like  the  hoes,  and  fixed  in  a  handle 
about  eight  inches  long.  Later  in  the  season,  a  largei 
weeder  is  used,  about  four  inches  in  length,  and  set  in 
a  handle  about  two  feet  long.  This  is  used,  when  the 
onion-tops  have  become  large,  for  the  purpose  of  tak- 
ng  out  single  weeds,  and  when  hoeing  the  ground 
would  iojure  the  onions. 

After  this  description  of  tools,  we  will  return  to 
hoeing  and  weeding.  As  no  definite  rule  can  be  giv- 
en for  the  number  of  hoeings  or  weedings,  this  must 
be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  owner,  or  the  person  in 
charge.  Suffice  it  to  say,  the  oftener  the  ground  is 
stirred,  the  better  for  the  crop.  Ground  should  usu- 
ally be  hoed  about  once  in  two  weeks  during  the 
earlier  part  of  the  season,  and  the  weeding  must  be 
governed  by  numbers  and  growth  of  the  weeds.  It  is 
all-important  that  the  weeds  be  not  suffered  to  get  the 
advantage.  Keep  them  down — keep  them  out — be 
vigilant.  Think  of  the  old  adage  about  the  stitch  in 
time,  and  apply  it  here. 

This  same  vigilance  must  be  exercised  during  the 
growth  of  the  crop.  Some  persons,  owing  to  extra 
work  during  harvest,  are  apt  to  neglect  their  onions. 
This  should  never  be.  July  is  an  important  month  tc 


EXPERIENCE    OP   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


the  onion-grower.  If  neglected  then,  the  crop  is  as 
good  as  half-lost.  Neither  is  it  true  that  onions  are 
injured  by  working  among  them  when  bottoming, 
although  care  is  necessary  rot  to  knock  down  the  tops, 
nor  disturb  the  bulbs  when  growing ;  but  bad  usage 
is  better  than  entire  neglect.  Neither  should  weeds 
be  permitted  to  go  to  seed  on  the  ground  intended  for 
onions  the  next  year,  after  the  crop  is  removed.  It  is 
somet'mes  necessary  to  hoe  the  ground  over  entirely, 
and  carry  off  the  weeds  that  may  have  grown  after 
the  onions  have  been  pulled.  The  great  pest  of  onion 
ground  usually  is  purslain ;  and  this  must  be  watched 
and  dealt  with  in  a  summary  way.  It  may  be  hardly 
necessary  to  suggest  here  that  the  fences  and  Borders 
of  onion-grounds  should  be  kept  entirely  clean  and  tidy. 

A  man  will  hoe  from  half  an  acre  to  an  acre  of 
onions  in  a  day.  A  smart  boy  will  take  care  of  from 
one  to  two  acres  of  ground  during  the  season,  and 
have  an  odd  day  now  and  then  to  go  fishing. 

HARVESTING. — This  takes  place  during  the  latter 
part  of  August,  and  first  of  September.  The  time  to 
pull  onions,  (which  should  be  done  by  hand,)  is  when 
the  tops  have  fallen  down  and  turned  a  brown  or  yel- 
lowish color.  Sometimes  on  account  of  the  season,  or 
seed,  or  both,  there  will  be  more  or  less  that  will  not 
drop  down  and  dry  up.  Some  have  proposed  in  such 
cases  to  roll  a  barrel  over  them,  or  break  them  down 
iii  some  way,  but  it  is  of  doubtful  expediency.  A 
scallion  will  be  such,  whether  standing  up  or  bent 
down.  "When  the  main  crop  has  ripened  down,  it  is 
best  to  pull  them  all,  and  sort  out  those  which  are  not 
fit  for  market,  to  feed  out  to  the  cattle ;  for  which 
purpose  they  are  esteemed  of  considerable  value. 
The  cattle  generally  devour  them  greedily;  they 
should  not  however  be  fed  to  milch  cows. 

The  most  approved  way  of  curing  onions  after  they 
.tre  pulled,  is,  to -let  them  lie  scattered  about  the 
ground  for  about  three  days,  and  then  pile  them  up  in 
small  stacks,  containing  about  a  barrel  each :  after  re- 
maining so  about  two  weeks,  open  them,  and  give 
them  frequent  stirrings  for  about  three  bright  drying 
days,  then  house  them  in  a  perfectly  dry  condition. 
Tne  stacking  gives  them  an  opportunity  to  sweat,  and 
keeps  them  in  a  measure'  from  the  weather,  so  that 
when  opened,  the  outside  skin  shells  off,  and  gives 
them  a  brighter  and  clearer  appearance,  than  they 
would  have  if  left  to  cure,  scattered  about  the  field. 

Onions  cured  in  this  way  may  be  put  up  in  bins,  or 
bays  to  the  depth  of  four  or  five  feet,  without  any 
danger  of  injury;  there  to  be  kept,  if  desired,  until 
the  following  spring,  provided  the  tops  are  left  on 
them.  If  put  in  barn  bays,  a  rough  floor  should  be 
laid  down  on  timber  a  few  inches  from  the  ground,  in 
order  that  a  circulation  of  air  underneath  may  be  ob- 
tained. Onions  should  not  be  kept  in  cellars  unless 
remarkably  dry  and  cool.  A  slight  freezing  does  not 
hurt  them,  provided  they  are  not  disturbed  in  their 
frozen  state 


MARKETING. — Th  .e  may  commence  as  soon  as  onions 
are  ripe,  and  continue  until  the  middle  of  May  follow- 
ing, provided  communication  is  open.  The  most  com- 
mon way  of  sending  onions  to  market,  is  by  putting 
them  in  barrels  with  one  head,  and  sending  them  in 
vessels ;  as  freight  by  water  is  cheaper  than  by  land. 
This  holds  good,  however,  only  for  those  who  are  for- 
tunate enough  to  live  in  proximity  to  the  water. 

All  the  preparation  onions  require  for  market,  is  to 
cut  or  strip  off  their  tops  and  put  them  in  barrels.  A 
man  or  boy  will  prepare  fifty  bushels  in  a  day.  Onions 
always  keep  best  in  their  tops ;  therefore  they  should 
not  be  removed  until  ready  for  market. 

The  price  of  onions  varies  from  $1.00*  to  $5.00  per 
barrel,  but  the  average  net  price,  taking  one  year 
with  another  for  several  years  back,  has  been  about 
$1.60  per  barrel. 

The  onions  sent  to  New- York  market  are  usually 
wholsaled  from  vessels  to  the  dealers,  and  resold  by 
them  in  smaller  lots,  they  selling  from  25  to  50  cents 
per  barrel,  in  advance  of  cost,  so  that  by  the  time  the 
consumer  gets  them  the  first  price  is  nearly  doubled. 

GENERAL  REMARKS — There  is  no  crop,  perhaps,., 
more  sure  than  that  of  onions,  They  are  liable,  it  is 
true,  to  blight,  but  this  seldom  occurs  unless  they  are 
neglected.  Rich  soil,  with  a  good  application  of  ma- 
nure every  year,  and  proper  attention,  will  almost  in- 
variably insure  a  good  crop.  Five  hundred  bushels  to  • 
an  acre  is  an  average  crop,  though  eight  hundred  are' 
frequently  raised. 

There  are  three  varieties  of  onions  commonly  raised,, 
•amely,  red,  white,  and  yellow.  The  red  onions  take- 
the  lead,  as  they  are  more  hardy,  grow  better,  and  bear 
handling  better  than  either  of  the  other  kinds.  The 
foregoing  directions  apply  equally  to  each  variety,, 
though  white  ones  require  more  attention  in  curing, . 
and  gentler  handling.  White  onions  in  limited  quan- 
tities and  in  good  condition  sometimes  sell  for  fifty  per 
cent  in  advance  of  red  ones. 

Onions,  unlike  most  other  crops,  may  be  raised  OE 
the  same  ground  for  an  indefinite  length  of  time, 
without  any  deterioration  in  quality  or  quantity,  pro- 
vided the  ground  is  in  good  heart.  The  writer  knows • 
ground  that  has  been  used  for  upwards  of  thirty  con- 
secutive years  for  this  crop,  and  the  last  was  as  good,, 
or  better  than  the  first. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  remark  here  that  skill  in  the> 
onion  business — and  it  is  an  important  item — is  only 
acquired,  as  in  every  other  department  of  labor,  by 
practice.  Therefore  it  is  better  for  a  new  beginner  in. 
the  business  to  commence  on  a  small  scale.  And  let' no 
one  delude  himself  with  the  idea  of  becoming  suddenly; 
rich  from  raising  onions.  Patient,  honest  industry 
will  here,  as  every  where  else,  be  rewarded,  and  when 
a  good  market  is  within  a  convenient  distance,  and. 
the  soil  suits,  perhaps  no  crop  pays  better  than  onions- 

*  Present  price,  $3.00,  Jan.  25th»  1859. 


HOW  TO   KAISE    ONIONS. 


RAISING  ONION  SEED. — As  it  is  a  law  of  nature  that 
like  produces  like,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
great  care  should  be  taken  to  obtain  seed  that  will  pro- 
duce the  most  perfect  specimens  of  its  kind.  This  holds 
true  in  regard  to  onion  seed,  for  it  is  a  notorious  fact, 
that  this  esculent  has  been  improved  in  shape  and  col- 
or within  a  few  years,  from  a  flat  turnip-shape  and 
.  pale  red  color,  to  nearly  a  round  or  spherical  form,  and 
a  b  right  clear  red. 

In  saving  onions  for  seed  then,  care  should  be  taken 
to  select  those  of  the  desired  shape  and  color,  and  of 
medium  size,  or  a  little  above  it.     The  best  time  to  do 
this  is  when  they  are  pulled,  as  then  the  perfectly  ripe 
ones  are  more  easily  distinguished,  than  when  they  are 
cured.     Another  advantage  to  be  gained  is,  that  the 
earliest  may  be  reserved,  in  order  to  get  an  earlier 
crop,  if  desired,  the  next  year.     Onions  intended  for 
seed  should  be  set  out  about  the  middle  of  April,  or  at 
the  usual  time  of  sowing.     The  ground  should  be  pre- 
pared in  the  same  manner  as  for  the  regular  crops,  and 
then  laid  out  in  drills  about  three  feet  apart,  and  four 
inches  deep.     In  these  drills  the  onions  are  to  be 
placed,  four  or  five  inches  apart,  covered  with  fine 
•  dirt  and  gently  pressed  down  with  the  feet,  or  hand 
r  roller.     As  soon  as  they  are  well  out  of  ground,  they 
-should  be  gone  through  with  a  hoe  or  cultivator,  and 
:the   weeds  kept  down   by  occasionally  hoeing  the 
and  weeding,  until  the  seed  is  ripe.     The 


writer  has  found  that  digging  a  trench  between  the 
rows,  either  with  a  spade  or  hoe,  about  tl.u  time  the 
seed  is  in  blossom,  and  working  the  dirt  thus  dug  out 
around  the  onion  stalks,  is  beneficial.  Care  should  be 
taken  after  the  onions  have  blossomed,  not  to  handle 
them,  or  disturb  their  roots. 

The  seed  matures  about  the  same  time  that  onions 
raised  from  the  seed  get  ripe.  The  time  for  gathering 
is  when  the  heads  assume  a  brown  color,  and  the  balls 
begin  to  crack  and  show  the  seed.  The  heads  should 
then  be  cut  off  and  exposed  to  the  sun  on  a  blanket 
or  floor,  until  the  seed  will  readily  shell;  then  by  rub- 
bing with  the  hands,  or  threshing  with  a  flail  if  a 
quantity  is  raised,  the  seed  is  made  ready  to  be  passed 
through  a  fanning-mill,  or  exposed  to  a  winnowing 
process.  After  this  is  done,  the  seed  should  be  put  in 
a  vessel  of  water,  and  only  that  which  readily  sinks  is 
to  be  preserved.  It  is  then  dried  in  the  sun  for  two 
or  three  days,  and  put  away  in  a  bag,  in  a  dry,  airy 
place,  until  wanted.  Onion  Seed  should  never  be 
trusted  after  it  is  two  years  old. 

The  price  of  seed  varies  as  much  as  the  price  of  the 
onions  themselves,  ranging  from  $1.00  to  $5.00  per 
pound.  The  different  varieties  when  planted  for  seed, 
should  bo  put  at  considerable  distance  apart,  as  the 
seed  readily  mixes.  From  three  to  five  pounds  of  seed 
are  usually  raised  from  a  bushel  of  onions. 


No.  II. 


BY  JOHN  H.  SHERWOOD,  FAIRFIELD  CO.,  CT. 


THE  Onion  -has  become  an  important  vegetable  in 
our  markets,  and  the  demand  is  yearly  increasing  at 
prices  which  make  their  cultivation  profitable.  Large 
quantities  of  onions  are  produced  in  this  vicinity,  and 
I  will  offer  a  few  remarks  on  their  cultivation  which 
I  have  derived  from  much  experience  and  observation, 
trusting  they  -may  be  of  advantage  to  those  who  wish 
to  cultivate  them.  Experience  will  be  found  the  best 
teacher,  but' a  few  facts  and  general  ideas  put  in  print, 
will  be  a  great  help  to  new  beginners. 

THE  SOIL  most  congenial  to  them  is  a  strong  damp 
loam,  and  I  think  the  crop  is  generally  larger  where 
a  small  quantity  of  clay  exists  in  the  soil.  I  have 
known  large  crops  on  quite  stiff  clay  soil  when  the 
land  is  well  under-drained. 

To  have  onions  succeed  well,  the  ground  on  which 
they  are  planted  should  have  been  cultivated  at  least 
two  yearfc  with  some  hoed  crops,  and  highly  manured 
for  those  crops.  Commencing  with  grass  land,  the  first 
crop  might  be  corn,  next  year  potatoes,  or  what  is 
better,  carrots,  as  potatoes  are  apt  to  rot  with 
high  manuring.  My  reason  for  cultivating  two 


years  before  the  onion  crop,  is,  because  the 
roots  in  the  soil  require  that  time  to  decay — besides,  the 
soil  is  so  loose,  that  worms  are  apt  to  injure  the  onions, 
if  not  destroy  most  of  the  crop. 

The  kind  of  onion  usually  grown  here,  is  the  red, 
and  those  are  preferred  which  approach  the  nearest 
to  a  globe  in  shape,  as  the  yield  per  acre  is  greater. 
The  white,  though  better  for  the  table,  and  command- 
ing near  one  third  more  in  price,  is  but  little  cultivated, 
as  the  crop  is  seldom  as  large,  and  the  care  required 
in  curing  them,  prevents  their  general  cultivation. 
They  are  very  liable  to  mildew  and  decay,  which,  be- 
ing conspicuous  on  their  white  skins,  makes  them  less 
salable  than  the  stronger  red  skins 

SEED. — Nothing  is  of  more  importance  in  securing  a 
good  crop  of  onions,  than  having  fresh  new  seed  of  the 
right  kind,  as  many  fail  when  they  depend  on  imported 
seed,  or  that  which  is  raised  we  know  not  where  or 
how — raised  to  sell,  probably.  Many  men  in  this  vi- 
cinity lost  their  crop  last  year  from  this  cause,  the 
fault  being  entirely  in  the  seed,  as  that  raised  by  them- 
selves or  neighbors,  planted  side  by  side,  did  well 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


while  seed  obtained  from  a  distance,  in  numerous  in- 
stances, went  to  tops,  or  made  "straight  onions,"  as  we 
call  th'em. 

To  grow  good  seed,  select  the  globe-shaped  bulbs 
of  good  size,  in  the  fall  put  them  in  a  dry  cool  place, 
but  not  where  they  will  freeze  much.  Set  them  out 
as  early  as  possible  in  spring,  or  as  early  in  April  as 
the  ground  can  be  worked.  Set  in  good  garden-soil, 
m  rows  three  feet  apart,  and  eight  inche^  distant  in 
the  row — cr  to  particularize,  slightly  ridge  the  land, 
and  set  tLe  onions  in  the  furrows,  about  four  inches 
below  thw  level,  and  as  as  they  grow,  keep  entirely 
free  from  weeds,  and  fill  in  the  furrows  from  the  ridge. 
The  dwi  helps  to  support  them  upright.  Otherwise, 
as  the  seed-balls  grow  heavy,  the  wind  rocks  them 
about,  and  much  of  the  seed  is  lost  or  injured  by 
blasting.  The  seed-balls  should  be  carefully  cut  when 
beginning  to  brown,  and  spread  thin  to  prevent  heating. 
When  perfectly  dry,  thresh  and  winnow  clean,  then 
put  into  water.  The  good  seed  sinks,  while  the  im- 
perfect will  float,  and  should  be  skimmed  off  and 
thrown  away.  Care  must  be  taken  to  dry  thoroughly 
after  removing  it  from  the  water.  One  bushel  of  good 
onions  usually  yields  from  three  to  five  pounds  of  seed. 
LAND  intended  for  onions  should  be  nearly  level, 
to  prevent  the  heavy  rains  from  washing  it  after  the 
seed  is  sown.  The  onion  is  a  gross  feeder,  and  re- 
quires a  liberal  supply  of  manure,  say  from  sixteen  to 
twenty  loads,  of  fifty  bushels  each,  well-rotted  manure 
per  acre.  I  prefer  manure  from  the  hog-pen,  but 
where  large  quantities  are  grown,  all  kinds  are  used, 
first  fermenting  it  to  destroy  foul  seeds  as  much  as 
possible,  and  fit  it  to  mix  with  the  soil  more  easily  and 
evenly.  A  dressing  of  ashes  is  very  advantageous 
to  the  crop. 

To  prepare  the  ground  for  onions,  first  clear  the  sur- 
face of  all  small  stones  above  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg, 
put  on  the  manure,  spread  and  plough  to  the  depth  of 
seven  inches  the  first  year.  After  that,  plough  somewhat 
deeper.  The  ploughing  may  be  done  in  November,  if 
you  have  many  to  plant,  and  wish  to  get  them  in 
early.  Let  the  ground  lie  in  the  furrow  until  spring, 
and  then  spread  on  at  least  one  hundred  bushels  of 
ashes  to  the  acre.  If  no  ashes  are  used,  apply  from 
cwo  to  three  hundred  pounds  of  guano,  and  harrow 
with  iron  teeth,  if  the  ground  was  ploughed  in  the  fall; 
otherwise  use  a  plank  frame,  or  a  plank  with  brush 
set  in,  which  will  leave  the  land  smoother  for  the  hand- 
rake.  As  the  bush-barrow  will  need  some  weight, 
about  that  of  a  man,  I  usually  ride  on  it,  and  by 
change  of  position  can  throw  my  weight  so  as  to  fill 
up  holes  and  leave  the  ground  more  even,  which  saves 
hand-labor.  If  you  wish  straight  rows — which  look 
and  work  better — stretch  a  line  across  your  field  to 
draw  the  seed-drill  by,  and  by  moving  it  up  to  the 
work,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  keeping  straight. 
The  seed-drills  used  about  here  are  very  simple  in  con- 
struction costing  about  four  dollars  They  drop  two 


rows  at  a  time,  twelve  inches  apart,  and  one  half-Jnch 
deep.  These  are  covered  by  passing  a  hoe  backward 
over  the  drill,  or  by  the  hand-rake  drawn  carefully 
parallel  with  the  rows,  which  is  the  quickest  way,  a* 
t  covers  two  rows  at  once.  Four  pounds  of  good 
seed  are  plenty  for  one  acre.  It  should  be  planted 
as  early  in  April  as  the  ground  will  admit.  Do  not 
work  it  when  wet,  for  it  will  be  lumpy,  and  hard  to 
cover  the  seed  properly.  When  up  enough  to  see  the 
rows,  hoe  between  them,  with  a  hoe  made  expressly 
'or  that  use.  The  blade  of  tjhe  hoe  should  be  eight 
nches  in  length  and  one  and  a  half  broad,  with  a 
ong  crooked  shank.  Next  comes  the  weeding. 

Have  a  small  hoe  made  like  the  above,  but  one  and 
a  half  inches  in  length,  set  in  a  handle  six  inches  long. 
With  this  in  one  hand,  get  on  your  knees,  and  crawl 
over  them,  destroying  all  the  weeds ;  for  if  not  well 
done  at  this  time,  the  work  will  be  hard  the  next. 
Second  hoeing  and  weeding  the  same  as  first,  but  can 
be  done  faster.  About  this  time,  say  the  first  of 
June,  sow  broad-cast  one  bushel  of  salt  to  the  acre, 
such  as  is  used  for  hay.  This  will  prevent  the  cut- 
worm which  is  sometimes  troublesome,  and  the  salt,  I 
hink,  is  a  help  to  the  crop.  I  can  not  say  too  much 
about  keeping  the  weeds  out,  for  no  crop  suffers  more 
from  weeds  than  onions.  Keep  the  weeds  out  as  long 
as  you  can  creep  over  them.  They  usually  require 
four  hoeings  and  weeding.*,  which  will  carry  them  into 
July.  If  there  are  weeds,  get  them  out,  even  if  the 
bulbs  have  begun  to  swell ;  you  can  walk  through 
them  and  pull  them  by  hand.  This  is  the  time  they 
are  apt  to  be  neglected,  as  tte  haying  season  claims 
all  the  help. 

As  they  attain  their  growth,  the  tops  loose  their 
lively  green  color,  grow  weak  above  the  bulb,  and  drop 
over.  When  they  grow  exactly  right,  they  all  fall 
down  ;  and  when  about  two  thirds  dry,  they  are  fit  to 
pull.  This  is  done  by  hand,  cleaning  of  all  weeds,  to 
prevent  the  seed  ripening.  Spread  the  onions  to  wilt 
from  two  to  four  days,  then  pile  about  three  bushels  in- 
a  heap  to  sweat.  Let  them  stand  in  this  way  for 
some  days,  or  until  the  tops  are  dried  away.  They 
are  now  fit  for  marketing  in  small  quantities. 

If  you  wish  to  house  them  to  keep,  spread  them 
again,  and  dry ;  for  if  housed  damp  or  green,  they  will 
grow  and  injure  quickly.  Great  care  is  necessary  to 
cure  them  properly.  They  should  be  dried  until  no 
juice  will  ooze  from  the  tops  when  twisted  by  the 
hand.  They  will  require  turning  two  or  more  times  tc 
bring  them  to  this  state,  then  cart  them  before  the  der 
falls  at  night.  When  in  the  house,  they  should  hat 
free  circulation  of  air  about  them,  until  freezinv 
weather,  and  then  be  protected  from  extreme  cold, 
though  they  bear  some  freezing,  and  do  not  generally 
injure  if  let  alone  until  the  frost  is  all  out.  If  they 
are  intended  for  market  before  December,  almost  any 
out-building  with  a  good  roof  will  make  a  store-house, 
the  more  air  about  them  the  better.  If  the  floor  ia 


HOW   TO   RAISE    ONIONS. 


tight,  put  down  scantling,  and  lay  on  a  temporary 
loose  floor  for  the  onions,  and  if  room  is  plenty,  do 
not  put  them  over  two  feet  thick.  That  I  may  be 
better  understood  I  will  give  a  description  of  a  fit 
place  to  store  onions  for  fall  and  winter  keeping. 
Make  a  building  with  the  top  of  the  sills  one  foot  from 
the  ground,  to  afford  room  for  air  to  blow  freely  under 
a  loose  floor,  laid  upon  the  sills.  On  the  inside  of  the 
building,  crib  around  with  boards  to  the  height  you  wish 
to  make  the  pile,  leaving  a  space  of  fifteen  inches  be- 
tween them  and  the  outside. 

As  the  onions  are  put  in,  set  a  small  bundle  of  straw 
on  the  end,  about  once  in  five  feet,  to  act  as  a  venti- 
lator. When  cold  weather  approaches,  fill  the  space 
around  the  outside,  with  the  onion-tops  which  are  cut, 
or  an  equivalent,  and  bank  around  outside  the  building 
with  litter  of  some  kind.  In  this  region  near  the 
shore,  sea-weed  is  used  to  a  good  purpose,  but  coarse 
manure  will  do,  having  some  place  where  the  air  can 
be  let  im  in  mild  weather.  Cover  the  top  of  the  onions 
with  dry  litter,  such  as  hay,  cornstalks  or  the  like. 
If  put  up  in  good  order,  they  will  keep  in  this  way, 
and  perhaps  bring  price  enough  to  pay  the  extra  work. 


In  cutting  off  the  tops,  a  pocket-knife  is  generally 
used.  This  work  can  be  done  at  any  time  after  thej 
are  housed,  but  those  intended  for  keeping  late  in 
Spring  will  do  better  to  remain  in  the  tops  until  wanted, 
for  market.  It  is  difficult  to  tell  at  what  time  they 
should  be  marketed,  as  the  price  varies  with  the 
seasons.  The  large  quantities  raised  along  the  shore 
here,  are  sold  in  New- York,  mostly  by  the  barrel,  sent 
in  sloops  sailing  between  the  city  and  the  different 
ports.  They  are  sent  as  soon  as  they  are  large  enough 
in  the  fall,  and  continued  until  late  in  spring.  As  a 
general  rule,  probably,  it  would  be  well  to  dispose  ot 
one  half  of  the  crop  before  the  holidays,  and  look  out 
for  the  remainder. 

Five  hundred  bushels  per  acre  are  a  fair  yield,  but 
seven  or  eight  hundred  bushel  are  often  raised.  Usually 
the  yield  is  less  the  first  year  or  two ;  after  that,  if  well 
manured,  the  crop  is  more  certain  and  the  land  may 
be  continued  in  onions  year  after  year.  I  know  o 
ground  that  has  produced  onions  for  forty  years  in 
succession,  with  only  a  rest  of  one  or  two  years,  and 
yielded  well. 


No.  III. 


BY  JONATHAN  DENNIS,  NEWPORT  CO.,  R,  I. 


THB  Island  of  Rhode  Island  and  the  shores  of  Nara- 
gansett  Bay,  have  long  been  celebrated  for  the  raising 
of  onions,  particularly  the  town  of  Bristol,  situated  on 
the  main  land,  twelve  miles  from  the  city  of  Prov- 
idence, and  enjoying  a  fine  harbor,  from  which  large 
quantities  of  onions  are  annually  shipped  to  New- 
York  and  all  the  southern  ports  of  the  Union ;  but 
the  largest  trade  perhaps,  is  carried  on  with  the  Island 
of  Cuba,  to  which  great  quantities  of  potatoes,  and 
onions,  and  other  vegetables,  are  annually  shipped, 
bringing  sugar  and  molasses  as  return  cargo. 

Newport  also  carries  on  a  considerable  trade  in 
onions  and  other  vegetables,  with  the  South. 

SOIL. — The  onion  requires  a  rich  soil,  and  if  it  is  not 
naturally  so,  it  must  be  made  so,  by  the  addition  of  a 
liberal  dressing  of  manure,  otherwise  it  is  of  but  little 
use  to  try  to  raise  a  crop  of  onions ;  black  heavy  soil 
and  rather  moist,  or  such  as  will  not  suffer  from  drouth, 
perhaps  is  the  best ;  but  almost  any  soil  that  will  pro- 
duce a  good  crop  of  Indian  corn  will  answer  if  made 
rich  enough.  Old  gardens  that  have  been  long  culti- 
vated will  generally  raise  a  crop  without  much  diffi- 
culty, but  new  land,  or  land  that  has  not  been  highly 
cultivated  for  a  number  of  years,  will  not  generally 
produce  a  full  crop  for  the  first  year  or  two,  owing,  as 
I  suppose,  to  the  manure  not  becoming  sufficiently  in- 


corporated with  the  soil.  Those  not  experienced  in  the 
raising  of  this  crop  should  not  be  discouraged  if  they 
do  not  succeed  the  first  year,  for  the  onion,  unlike 
most  other  crops,  succeeds  better  the  longer  it  is  plant- 
ed on  the  same  ground,  except  in  some  instances  af- 
ter long  planting  in  the  same  place,  they  seem  to  be- 
come diseased  from  some  cause  not  well  understood, 
when  alternating  with  another  crop  for  a  year  or"  two 
is  said  to  remedy  the  evil.  *  This  disease  shows  itselt 
by  the  curling  of  the  leaves  and  turning  of  a  yellow 
sickly  hue,  and  upon  breaking  the  leaves  they  appear 
to  be  filled  with  a  kind  of  smut ;  hence  the  disorder  is 
called  the  smut. 

MANURE. — That  from  the  hog-pen  I  consider  the 
best,  but  barn  or  stable-manure  will  answer  nearly  as 
well  on  most  soils ;  sea  manure  is  considered  excel- 
lent on  our  soils.  The  waters  of  Naragansett  Bay 
produce  large  quantities  of  marine  plants,  which  are 
washed  on  the  shores  and  collected  by  the  farmers, 
and  composted  in  barn-yard  and  hog-pen,  and  produce 
a  most  valuable  manure  for  this  crop. 

Large  quantities  of  fish  are  taken  in  this  bay,  and 
when  composted  and  mixed  with  barn  or  hog-yard 
manure,  are  much  used  for  onions.  Guano  does  not 
seem  to  suit  them  as  well  as  it  does  some  other  crops, 
and  I  would  uot  advise  farmers  to  try  to  raise  onions 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


with  it  alone.  Wood  ashes  are  an  excellent  manure 
oii  any  soil,  and  perhaps  the  greensand  of  New  Jersey 
would  answei,  as  they  seem  to  require  potash. 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  SOIL. — The  manure  should 
be  spread  twenty-five  or  thirty  loads  for  two  horses  or 
one  pair  of  oxen,  or  a  cart-load  of  forty  bushels  to 
the  acre,  and  ploughed  hi  with  a  good  even  furrow. 
The  depth  will  depend  on  the  depth  the  soil  has  been 
previously  cultivated.  The  whole  should  be  thorough- 
ly turned  over,  covering  the  manure  completely ;  and  if 
the  ground  has  not  been  highly  manured  previously, 
it  should  have  a  light  dressing  on  top,  of  decomposed 
manure,  or  wood  ashes.  Then  harrow  the  ground  fine 
with  a  light,  harrow,  and  rake  smooth  and  level,  re- 
moving any  coarse  manure,  stones,  or  lumps  that  may 
interfere  with  planting  or  hoeing.  If  you  have  a  large 
bed,  it  saves  labor  to  strike  furrows  through  it,  say  a 
rod  or  more  apart,  before  commencing  to  rake,  into 
which  all  the  lumps  of  manure  and  small  stones  may 
be  deposited  and  leveled  over  with  the  soil.  Those 
places  will  be  found  to  produce  as  well  or  better  than 
the  rest  of  the  pieces. 

PLANTING. — Plant  in  hills  with  the  rows  twelve 
inches  apart,  and  six  inches  between  the  hills.  We 
use  a  machine  that  plants  in  hills,  two  rows  at  once,  at 
the  required  distance  apart.  Never  plant  them  in 
drills  if  you  can  avoid  it.  If  you  have  no  machine 
that  will  plant  in  hills,  I  think  you  will  save  time  in 
the  after-cultivation  by  planting  by  hand.  It  is  te- 
dious work  to  weed  a  drill-row,  but  in  hills  you  can  do 
most  of  the  weeding  with  the  hoe.  Put  from  six  to 
eight  seeds  in  a  hill  if  you  wish  to  raise  them  of  nearly 
uniform  size  for  marketing  by  the  bushel.  With  us, 
where  most  of  the  crop  is  bunched  on  straw,  for  the 
West-India  and  other  foreign  markets,  we  put  from 
ten  to  twelve  seeds  in  the  hill,  and  we  never  thin  them 
out.  They  seldom  all  vegetate,  and  some  will  be  cut 
up  in  hoeing,  so  that  two  thirds  the  number  you  plant 
will  be  all,  perhaps,  that  will  come  to  maturity.  They 
require  but  slight  covering,  not  exceeding  one  half  or 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  deep,  pressing  the  earth 
down  sightly  upon  the  seed..  Our  machines  are  pro- 
vided with  a  roller  that  does  this.  Onions  will  grow 
well  very  thick  if  provided  with  a  sufficient  quantity 
of  manure. 

VARIETIES. — The  kind  will  depend  altogether  on  the 
market  you  wish  to  supply.  We  raise  the  common 
red  onion,  because  it  suits  our  market.  Each  one 
should  consult  the  wants  of  his  customers  in  this  as  in 
every  other  crop.  The  Yellow  Danvers  is  a  good  sort 
tor  our  home  market.  It  is  hardy,  cooks  white,  and 
keeps  well  through  the  winter.  The  White  Portugal 
is  a  delicate  onion,  and  sells  the  highest  in  our  home 
markets  of  any  variety,  but  is  a  poor  keeper  for  winter 
and  spring  use. 

The  red  with  us  is  divided  into  three  sorts,  as  they 
are  called,  though  in  tact  they  are  all  one,  namely,  the 


early,  second  early,  and  late,  and  are  produced  by 
merely  selecting  the  onions  for  seed.  The  early  is  a 
flat  onion,  sometimes  even  hollowed  at  the  crown,  the 
second  early  is  full  and  round,  and  the  late  is  some- 
what pointed  at  both  ends.  Therefore  all  you  have  to 
do  to  produce  those  varieties,  is  to  select  the  flattest 
onions  you  can  find,  to  raise  your  seed  from,  if  you 
wish  to  raise  early ;  the  full  round  for  the  second  early, 
and  so  on,  and  you  can  readily  produce  the  kind  you 
wish  by  a  few  years'  propagation  in  this  way.  We 
raise  the  second  sort  mostly  because  it  produces  well, 
and  suits  our  market,  though  there  are  considerable 
quantities  of  the  early  variety  raised  for  the  early 
market,  which  do  very  well,  although  they  do  not  pro- 
duce as  much,  but  bring  a  higher  price  on  account  ot 
being  early.  Be  careful  in  purchasing  seed  to  buy 
from  those  you  can  rely  upon,  as  old  seed  is  very  un- 
certain. 

The  potato-onion  is  largely  raised  by  market-gar- 
deners, to  be  pulled  up  when  partly  grown,  and  tied  in 
bunches  of  six  or  more  for  the  market.  They  are  a 
valuable  variety,  being  of  mild  flavor,  and  cook  very 
white.  They  are  propagated  by  sets  and  not  by  seed. 
A  large  bulb  set  out  in  spring  will  produce  a  number, 
some  of  good  size,  which  may  be  pulled  for  market  or 
the  table,  with  several  small  ones,  which  may  by  set 
the  next  year,  and  which  in  turn  produce  one  or  two 
large  ones.  There  are  a  great  many  raised  from  pips, 
as  they  are  called,  which  are  the  very  small  onions 
left  from  the  main  crop  of  the  red  variety,  set  out  in 
spring  similar  to  the  potato-onion.  They  will  incline 
to  run  to  seed,  and  the  seed-stalk  must  be  broken  off. 
Be  careful  to  break  them  below  the  large  place  on  the 
stalk,  and  they  will  produce  a  good  bulb  for  early  use. 
Both  the  pips  and  potato-onion  may  be  set  thickly  in 
drills,  as  early  in  spring  as  the  state  of  the  ground 
\vill  admit  of,  and  with  a  litle  hoeing  they  will  pro- 
duce a  good  early  crop.  There  is  a  variety  called  the 
top-onion,  which  produces  the  seed  or  set  on  the  top, 
like  the  garlic ;  but  they  are  not  much  grown,  and 
with  us  are  not  considered  worthy  of  cultivation. 

HOEING. — Onions  should  be  hoed  as  soon  as  the 
rows  can  be  seerr  and  as  often  as  the  weeds  show 
themselves.  I  consider  it  better  to  hoe  often,  for  you 
can  hoe  them  twice  over  when  they  are  not  very 
weedy,  in  about  the  same  time  it  would  take  to  do  it 
once  if  you  let  them  get  overrun  with  weeds;  and 
then  it  is  a  long  and  tedious  job  to  clear  them  out,  be- 
sides injuring  the  crop  in  so  doing.  After  the  second 
or  third  hoeing,  when  they  have  got  a  good  start,  car- 
rots may  be  planted  between  the  hills  in  two  out  of 
three  rows,  and  so  on,  leaving  one  out  of  three  for 
space  to  lay  the  onions  to  cure,  and  in  this  way  a  good 
crop  of  carrots '  can  be  raised  without  injuring  the 
onions  but  very  little,  if  any.  Large  quantities  of  car- 
rots are  raised  in  this  manner  with  us  with  very  little 
expense.  They  will  want  one  hoeing  after  harvestirg 


8 


HOW   TO   EAISE    ONIONS 


the  onions,  to  clean  out  any  weeds  that  may  be  still 
standing  on  the  ground.  The  carrots  will  grow  rapid- 
ly till  frost,  and  even  after. 

HARVESTING. — The  onions  should  be  pulled  as  soon 
as  the  tops  have  mostly  fallen,  which  shows  ma- 
turity. Lay  them  in  rows,  two  or  three  rows  together, 
straight  and  evenly,  and  when  the  tops  are  nearly  dry. 
cut  them  off,  leaving  about  two  inches  of  the  stalk. 
Leave  them  to  dry  a  few  days  longer  if  they  are  to  be 
stored,  or  they  may  be  marketed  immediately.  In 
topping,  have  the  bottoms  at  the  left  hand,  and  the 
knife  or  shears  (some  use  common  sheep-shears)  in  the 
right,  when,  if  they  are  laid  evenly,  you  can  take  a 
number  at  once  instead  of  taking  each  one  singly,  and 
boys  that  are  used  to  it  will  top  them  very  fast. 

BUNCHING. — To  bunch  onions  rapidly  and  handsome- 
ly requires  much  practice,  but  some  boys  will  make 
from  three  to  four  hundred  bunches  a  day.  It  is  done 
thus  :  Take  about  two  feet  in  length  of  the  butt- end 
of  rye  straw,  and  in  size  nearly  as  large  as  a  broom- 
stick when  drawn  together  by  the  twine.  Commence 
at  the  bottom,  and  wind  common  wrapping  twine 
around  it  for  three  inches,  drawing  it  up  tight,  then 
put  on  a  circle  of  four  medium-sized  onions  to  begin 
with,  take  a  turn  round  the  neck  of  these,  draw  them 
up  snug  to  the  straw,  tying  the  next  on  the  top  of 
them.  As  you  proceed,  press  them  down  snug  upon 
each  other  with  the  thumb  of  the  left  hand,  and  wind 
the  twine  once  around  to  each  onion,  tapering  them 
up  from  a  good-sized  one  at  the  bottom,  to  the  size  of 
a  large  walnut  at  the  top,  and  from  ten  to  twelve  in 
length.  Keep  the  rows  straight,  and  with  a  little 


practice,  you  can  make  a  neat  bunch  that  will  suit,  is 
many  markets,  better  than  loose  onions,  and  also  U3*r 
up  and  make  salable  the  small-sized  onions. 

An  average  crop  with  us  may  be  stated  at  from  four 
hundred  to  five  hundred  bushels  per  acre,  though  we 
sometimes  get  six  hundred.  The  price  varies  from  thir- 
ty-five to  fifty  cents  per  bushel  delivered  at  the  landing 
on  tide-water  direct  from  the  field.  "When  the  shippers 
pay  from  two  to  three  dollars  the  hundred  bunches,  of 
three  pounds  to  the  bunch,  for  large  quantities,  taking 
the  whole  crop  at  once  and  directly  from  the  field,  it  is 
considered  a  profitable  crop.  There  is  little  done  in  the 
retail  way,  except  for  a  few  early  ones  iu  our  home 
markets. 

STORING. — Store  your  onions  in  a  dry  cool  place,  to 
keep  through  the  winter.  The  garret  is  a  good  place 
for  those  who  wish  to  keep  a  few  for  family  use,  cov- 
ering them  with  some  old  cloth  to  prevent  their  thaw- 
ing when  once  frozen.  But  if  you  wish  to  keep  a 
large  quantity,  any  out-building  that  is  tolerably  tight, 
will  answer  by  packing  the  sides  with  hay  or  straw, 
and  covering  the  top  with  the  same.  The  cellar,  unless 
very  dry,  is  not  a  good  place  to  keep  them,  on  account 
of  their  growing  if  kept  too  warm.  A  basement-story 
perhaps  would  answer  if  not  too  warm.  They  should 
not  be  moved  while  frozen,  except  you  wish  to  cook 
them  immediately. 

I  have  written  especially  with  regard  to  the  onion 
as  a  field  crop,  for  in  this  section  they  are  raised  aa 
such,  by  farmers  who  cultivate  quite  large  tracts,  and 
in  fields  from  one  half-acre  to  three  acres. 


No.  IV. 


BY  D.  C.  REYNOLDS,  CLINTON  CO.,  PA. 


THE  onion  tribe,  consisting  of  the  onion,  leek,  garlic, 
and  shallot,  are  all  natives  of  Eastern  countries,  but 
they  seem  to  be  well  adapted  to  certain  portions  of  the 
United  States,  and  acquire  considerable  pungency  of 
flavor  in  this  climate. 

In  order  to  be  successful  in  growing  the  onion,  the 
soil  must  be  rich,  light,  and  deep,  and  in  a  situation 
well  exposed  to  the  sun.  You  must  not  think  of  sow- 
ing the  seed  until  you  have  worked  the  bed  well  to 
the  depth  of  eighteen  inches,  enriching  it,  and  beating 
it  flat  and  firm  with  a  spade. 

Some  may  suppose  it  early,  but  I  always  sow  my 
omon  seed  sometime  in  March,  not  being  at  all  parti- 
cular as  to  the  precise  time  of  the  month,  or  having 
any  regard  to  the  superstition  so  prevalent  in  regard  to 
signs.  No  good  gardener  can  dispense  with  the  line : 
he  will  therefore  scratch  drills  by  the  line  just  deep 
•enough  to  be  clearly  eeen,  and  then  distribute  the 


seeds  along  the  drills  about  three  or  four  seeds  to  the 
inch. 

Next,  sift  fine  sandy  earth  over  the  seeds,  and  pat 
the  surface  even.  Finally,  scatter  leached  ashes  over 
the  bed,  evenly,  to  the  depth  of  about  one  eighth  of 
an  inch.  Be  careful  to  allow  no  weeds  to  grow  up  and 
choke  the  young  plants.  This  is  a  very  important  pre- 
caution, as  I  think  the  shade  caused  by  rank  weeds  is 
one  of  the  greatest  causes  of  small  crops  in  this  coun- 
try. As  the  onions  grow,  they  must  be  thinned  out; 
allowing  alternately  a  space  between,  fully  equal  to 
the  breadth  of  the  onion  from  bulb  to  bulb.  There 
are  some  who  prefer  to  sow  onions  broadcast,  but  I  am 
satisfied  they  lose  more  by  their  indolence  than  they 
gain  in  point  of  economy  of  time.  After  the  onions 
have  somewhat  advanced,  it  will  be  beneficial  to  scat- 
ter common  salt  among  them,  the  chemical  properties 
of  the  salt  seem  to  cause  them  to  enlarge. 


EXPERIENCE   OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


9 


This  is  about  as  good  a  way  to  cultivate  the  onion 
from  the  seed  to  the  perfect  large  onion,  as  I  have 
ever  seen,  or  tried  —  and  it  is  my  custom  to  examine 
every  new  idea,  or  experiment,  that  comes  before  the 
public,  with  a  view  to  a  correct  plan,  not  only  with 
the  onion,  but  all  kinds  of  vegetables.  In  September, 
the  necks  of  the  onions  should  be  twisted,  and  after 
the  leaves  become  yellow,  take  the  crop  up,  and  place 
the  onions  under  a  shed,  exposed  to  sun  and  air  until 
they  are  quite  dry  on  the  outside.  Of  the  different 
Kinds,  I  prefer  the  white,  as  not  being  so  rank  to  the 
taste,  and  we  know  they  always  bring  a  better  price  in 
the  market.  Although  I  confess  to  having  been  often 
disappointed  in  my  experience  with  Patent  Office 
seed?,  owing  to  their  age  before  they  are  placed  in  the 
ground,  yet  I  can  safely  recommend  the  "  white  onion" 
obtained  from  England,  as  of  superior  quality  both  as 
regards  size  and  taste. 

Besides  the  onions  raised  from  the  seed,  we  can 
grow  them  so  as  to  have  a  supply  in  July.  The  ground, 
in  this  case,  must  be  prepared  early  as  the  weather 
will  permit,  in  February,  and  for  seed  take  a  number 
of  those  small  bulbs  that  are  always  found  in  the  beds 
just  described,  and  which  are  noi  above  an  inch  broad. 
The  bed  being  ready  at  the  end  of  the  first  week,  form 
it  into  squares  on  the  surface  by  means  of  cross-strings. 
At  the  places  where  the  lines  meet,  press  in  an  onion, 
one  third  of  the  onion  being  placed  in  the  ground,  so 
that  the  bulb  will  remain  firm  and  erect.  After  this 
is  done,  you  will  have  a  bed  with  the  onions  in  squares, 
five  or  six  inches  apart.  Now,  the  onion  naturally 
forms  its  bulb  the  first  year  of  its  growth,  and  forms 
flower  and  seed  in  the  second  year.  Of  course,  there- 
fore, these  small  onions,  being  in  their  second  year, 
will  attempt  to  form  flower  and  seed,  and  this  must  be 
prevented  by  plucking  off  the  flower-head  as  soon  as 
it  makes  its  appearance.  A  second  attempt  will  be 
made,  which  must  also  be  prevented  in  the  same  way. 
Thus,  the  sap,  which  would  otherwise  have  "run  to 
seed,"  will  be  kept  in  the  bulb,  and  by  degrees  two, 
three,  or  four  medium-sized  onions  will  be  developed. 
These  are  to  be  taken  in  July  or  August,  and  dried 
under  a  shed,  as  before  directed. 

A  great  amount  of  nonsense,  in  the  shape  of  "  ex- 
periments," has  been  given  to  the  world  on  the  subject 
of  the  onion :  but  as  I  have  already  remarked,  give 
me  a  soil  rich,  light,  deep,  and  well  exposed  to  the 
sun,  and  in  addition,  a  few  bushels  of  leached  ashes, 
and  a  reasonable  quantity  of  common  salt,  and  I  will 
show  you  a  crop  of  onions  equal  to  any  ever  produced 
by  any  other  mode. 


The  onion  is  a  plant  whose  roots  feed  upon  nourish* 
ment  on  or  very  near  the  surface — hence  deep  sowing 
and  planting,  as  well  as  hoeing  the  earth  around  the 
plants,  are  to  be  avoided.  In  very  hot  weather  in 
summer,  it  may  be  necessary  to  water  them  —  but  do 
not  carry  this  to  extreme?.  The  onion  is  a  very  hardy 
plant,  and  I  have  frequently  left  bulbs  in  the  ground 
throughout  the  winter  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  an 
early  mess  on  the  dinner- table  in  spring. 

These  is  another  mode  of  raising  the  onion  which  I 
like  very  well,  although  requiring  a  greater  length  of 
time  to  develop.  This  is  by  sowing  the  seed,  thickly  in 
drills  from  three  to  five  inches  apart,  having  prepared 
the  ground  in  the  same  manner  as  above  described, 
and  reserving  the  leached  ashes  and  salt  for  the  second1 
year.  By  this  method,  you  procure  a  number  of 
bushels  of  small  onions,  which  are  to  be  kept  over 
winter  in  a  place  dry,  not  too  warm,  and  yet  where 
they  will  not  freeze.  These  must  be  planted  as  early 
as  the  spring  weather  will  admit,  in  the  second  year, 
and  the  flower-shoots  must  be  plucked  off,  as  I  have- 
said  in  speaking  of  the  early  summer  variety.  They 
must  be  planted  in  the  same  way,  in  squares  of  five  or" 
six  inches  apart. 

The  onion  has  been  too  slightly  cultivated.  This  is-- 
owing  to  the  vulgar  notion  of  its  unpleasant  smell.  It 
is  true,  it  is  apt  to  affect  the  breath,  so  that  one  who 
has  eaten  of  this  really  wholesome  vegetable,  will 
smell  of  it  for  many  hours  afterwards.  But  this  should' 
be  no  reason  for  abandoning  its  use,  as  we  can  always 
so  arrange  our  meal  that  it  can  be  eaten  when  there  is- 
no  risk  of  this  sort. 

The  onion  has  been  successfully  used  as  a  medicine, 
particularly  in  croupy  affections  of  children — both  the' 
expressed  juice  mixed  with  sugar,  and  in  the  form  of 
a  poultice  to  the  chest  and  extremities.  It  is  stimu- 
lant, acts  upon  the  kidneys,  upon  the  bronchial  tubes^ 
and  air-passages,  and  will  excite  irritation  on  the  skin^ 
If  eaten  in  moderation,  it  increases  the  appetite  and 
promotes  digestion,  and  may  be  used  as  a  condiment ; 
but  in  large  quantities  it  is  apt  to  cause  flatulence, 
gastric  uneasiness,  and  febrile  excitement.  It  may  be 
given  with  advantage  in  dropsy  and  gravel.  If  it  be- 
boiled,  it  loses  its  essential  oil,  and  becomes  a  whole- 
some and  harmless  esculent.  It  may  also  be  roasted1 
and  split,  and  applied  with  benefit  to  suppurating: 
tumors.  In  fact,  it  is  one  of  the  most  useful  vegetables1 
we  possess,  and  deserves  better  treatment  at  the  hand* 
of  man. 


10 


HOW   TO    RAISfc    ONIONS, 


NO.    V. 

BY  STEPHEN  HOYT  &  SON,  FAIRFIELD  CO,,  CT. 


SOIL  is  the  first  consideration  in  the  culture  of 
onions.  To  raise  them  successfully,  it  is  important 
that  this  be  right.  The  soil  best  adapted  to  them  is  a 
neavy,  moist,  (not  wet,)  rich  loam,  free  from  stone. 

Fair  crops  of  onions  may  be  raised  upon  a  light  dry 
soil  in  favorable  seasons,  but  the  tops  are  very  liable 
to  turn  yellow  just  as  they  begin  to  bottom,  and  to  die 
down  before  they  are  of  much  size,  thus  very  materi- 
ally diminishing  the  crop.  The  soil  should  be  culti- 
vated with  some  hoed  crop,  and  no  weeds  allowed  to 
ripen  seed  upon  it  for  one  or  two  years  before  plant- 
ing with  onions.  After  having  decided  upon  the  soil, 
the  next  thing  is  the 

MANURE. — Onions  draw  very  heavily  upon  the  soil, 
and  to  insure  a  large  crop,  manure  should  be  applied  li- 
berally. No  definite  quantity  can  be  recommended,  as 
the  condition  of  the  land  varies  so  much  ;  but,  as  a  gen- 
eral thing,  there  is  more  danger  of  not  applying  enough 
••than  too  much.  Stable  or  barn-yard  manure  when  tho- 
roughly decomposed,  may  be  considered  a  very  proper 
•manure  for  oniona  We  have  found  ashes  very  beneficial, 
end  have  raised  fine  crops  with  no  other  manure.  They 
•should  be  composted  with  swamp-muck,  using  one 
load  of  ashes  to  ten  or  twelve  of  muck.  Apply 
twenty-five  or  thirty  loads  to  the  acre — more  would  oe 
better.  Fish  composted  with  muck,  makes  a  very 
superior  manure  for  onions,  not  excelled  if  equalled  by 
any  other  manure.  Eight  to  ten  thousand  fish,  (moss 
bunkers,)  properly  composted,  make  a  good  dressing 
for  an  acre.  We  have  used  guano,  and  it  makes 
onions,  like  almost  every  thing  else,  grow,  yet  we  are 
not  in  favor  of  its  use,  6nly  when  composted  with 
muck,  or  mixed  with  good  soil.  If  nothing  else  can 
be  had,  guano  may  be  used  with  success,  but  should 
lay  composted  a  few  months  before  using.  It  is  un- 
necessary to  particularize  the  kinds  of  manure  further. 
Any  well-rotted  manure  may  be  used  with  advantage 
if  applied  in  sufficient  quantity. 

PLOUGHING,  HARROWING,  ETC. — This  we  would  re- 
commend to  be  done  as  early  in  the  spring  as  the 
.ground  will  admit.  First,  plough  deep,  and  harrow 
down.  Then  spread  on  the  manure  and  plough  in 
shallow,  say  four  inches.  If  ashes  are  used,  spread 
them  upon  the  surface  and  harrow  in.  After  the 
second  ploughing,  harrow  again,  and  pick  off  the  stones, 
if  there  are  any ;  then  roll,  (this  is  very  important,) 
harrow  once  more  and  rake  off,  so  as  to  remove  all 
stones,  grass,  roots,  etc.  It  is  very  important  to  have 
the  ground  fine  and  clean  before  sowing,  as  much  of 
•  the  after-cultivation  depends  upon  this. 

SHED. — There  is  nothing,  .perhaps,  in  raising  onions 
if  more  importance  than  the  seed,  which  should  be 
4?ht  to  start  with.  If  the  seed  is. poor  and  fails  to 


come,  or  a  part  comes,  it  not  only  lessens  the  crop,  but 
is  a  source  of  much  vexation.  We  have  found  it  the 
most  reliable  course  to  raise  our  own  seed.  The  beet 
onions  should  be  selected  and  put  out  as  early  as 
possible  in  the  spring ;  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  and 
six  inches  distant  in  the  row.  Hoe  often  to  keep 
clean,  and  when  the  hulls  begin  to  open,  remove  the 
heads  to  some  place  under  cover,  where  they  may  re- 
main to  be  cleaned  out  at  leisure.  The  seed  may  be 
loosened  from  the  heads  by  threshing  them  with  a 
flail,  or  by  rubbing  in  the  hands,  and  then  run  through 
a  fanning-mill.  If  it  is  then  put  into  a  tub  of  water,  the 
poor  seed  will  float  and  may  be  removed  from  the  sur 
face,  leaving  the  good  at  the  bottom,  in  a  clean  state, 
after  which  it  should  be  taken  out  and  dried- 
We  have  frequently  bought  seed,  as  those  just  com 
mencing  the  business  have  to  do.  In  this  case  it 
should  be  tried  before  sowing.  This  may  be  done  by 
placing  some  cotton  thoroughly  wet  in  a  tumbler, 
sprinkling  a  few  seeds  over  the  surface  of  the  cotton, 
and  placing  the  tumbler  in  a  warm  place.  In  a  few 
days  the  seed  will  germinate  if  it  is  good.  It  is  im 
portant  to  have  new  seed,  as  old  is  very  liable  to  fail 
or  if  it  does  not,  the  sprout  is  more  feeble  and  puny. 

We  prefer  the  red  globe  variety  for  general  cultiva- 
tion, as  they  are  hardy  and  yield  better  than  any  other. 
White  onions  sell  for  a  large  price,  but  they  are  more 
tender,  and  we  have  condemned  them  for  general  cul- 
tivation. We  have  had  several  trials  with  them,  and 
found  them  to  yield  well;  but  they  are  very  liable  to 
decay  or  become  spotted ;  so  as  to  injure  their  sale. 

SOWING  may  be  done  with  almost  any  seed-drill,  but 
we  generally  use  one  made  expressly  for  the  purpose, 
sowing  two  rows  at  once,  twelve  inches  apart.  A 
boy  follows  behind,  covering  the  seed  with  the  head  of 
a  rake.  With  this  kind  of  machine,  a  man  and  boy 
will  sow  two  acres  per  day.  We  have  found  four 
pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre  the  proper  quantity.  The 
seed  should  be  sowed  as  early  as  the  ground  will 
admit. 

HOEING  AND  WEEDING. — As  soon  as  the  onions  are 
up  so  as  to  distinguish  the  rows,  they  should  be  hoed 
by  a  careful  hand,  using  a  hoe  with  a  blade  eight 
inches  in  length  and  two  in  width.  These  hoes  may 
be  obtained  at  most  agricultural  stores,  and  are  prefer- 
red because  they  cover  the  onions  much  less  than  a 
common  hoe.  Repeat  the  hoeing  again  in  a  few  days, 
and  follow  by  weeding,  using  the  greatest  care  to  re- 
move all  the  weeds,  as  the  after-expense  will  depend 
much  upon  the  first  dressing-out.  Never  allow  onions 
to  suffer  for  the  want  cf  weeding,  but  clean  as  the 
weeds  are  coming  up.  If  weeds  are  allowed  to  attain 
much  size,  they  are  very  apt  to  take  r  x>t  again,  even 


EXPEKIENCE   OF   PRACTICAL    GROWERS. 


11 


when  pulled  out,  and  the  patch  will  soon  be  overrun,  j 
Our  rule  is,  to  stir  the  ground  often,  and  never  let  the 
onions  suffer  for  want  of  weeding.  By  so  doing  they 
are  dressed  out  quickly  and  at  little  expense.  Con- 
tinue to  hoe  and  stir  the  ground  until  the  bulbs  are  too 
large  to  work  among  without  injuring  them.  Thinning 
is  unnecessary  when  only  the  above  quantity  of  seed 
is  used. 

PULLING  AND  CURING. — As  soon  as  the  tops  have 
died  down,  or  nearly  so,  pull  them.  When  onions  do 
well,  their  tops  will  lop  over  just  at  the  top  of  the 
onion,  and  gradually  die  away.  The  grower  will 
mainly  have  to  be  his  own  judge  when  to  pull.  There 
are  seasons,  however,  when  a  large  proportion  of  the 
onions  are  inclined  to  run  to  scallions  or  large-necked 
bulbs,  and  a  beginner  may  be  at  a  loss  what  to  do. 
Many  remedies  have  been  recommended  to  make 
onions  bottom,  but  we  have  found  them  of  but  little 
use.  Watch  them  closely,  and  after  being  satisfied 
that  they  are  making  no  more  bottoms,  pull  them  not- 
withstanding the  tops  may  be  green,  keeping  the  scal- 
'ions  (or  unbottomed  onions)  by  themselves,  as  they 
will  never  cure  sufficiently  to  be  housed  with  the  other 
onions.  We  would  here  mention  that  it  is  our  opinion 
that  green  or  unfermented  manures  on  ground  that 
has  never  raised  onions,  are  very  apt  to  produce  the 
above  results. 

Having  decided  that  the  onions  are  fit  to  gather, 
first  pull  six  or  eight  rows,  throwing  them  upon  the 
unpulled  ones  to  get  a  start.  Then  hoe  over  and  rake 
off  the  strip  pulled,  to  remove  all  weeds  or  grass,  if 
any  are  growing.  If  there  are  no  weeds,  this  will  be 
unnecessary.  After  having  cleaned  off  a  strip,  pull 
six  or  eight  rows  more,  throwing  the  onions  together 
with  those  first  pulled  upon  the  strip  hoed  and  raked 
off.  Hoe  and  rake  off  as  before,  and  so  continue  to 
pull  and  hoe  until  the  piece  is  finished,  leaving  the 
onions  spread  broadcast  over  the  surface  of  the  field. 
The  scallions,  if  any,  may  be  left  to  go  out  with  the 
weeds  or  refuse.  Let  the  onions  remain  in  this  situa- 
tion for  two  weeks  or  more,  until  well  cured,  that  is, 
until  the  tops  have  become1  thoroughly  dry.  They 
should  then  be  turned  over  with  a  rake,  as  many 
of  them  will  be  imbedded  into  the  ground  more  or 
less,  gathering  moisture.  In  a  few  hours  after  stirring, 
with  a  good  sun,  they  will  be  fit  for  housing.  It  mat- 
ters not,  however,  if  they  remain  in  the  field  for 
a  month  after  pulling,  or  at  least  until  freezing  weather 
In  fact,  we  prefer  to  have  them  remain  out  as  long  as 
,t  will  answer,  as  they  are  very  apt  to  sweat,  heat,  and 
sprout  when  put  in  large  quantities,  if  housed  early, 
although  ever  so  well  cured,  and  it  is  quite  as  conve- 
nient to  market  them  from  the  field.  It  is  recommend- 
ed and  practised  by  many  to  pile  the  onions  as  they 
are  pulled.  We  have  practised  it,  but  prefer  the 
method  above  described.  When  piled,  they  want 
more  attention  in  curing,  as  they  are  very  apt  to  hold 


moisture  enough  from  rains  to  make  them  blacken,  if 
not  opened  and  stirred  frequently. 

HOUSING. — It  is  highly  important  to  have  them 
stored  in  a  suitable  place.  This  needs  to  be  dry,  cool, 
and,  when  necessary,  warm.  We  have  housed  them  in 
the  cellar,  but  find  it  too  damp  and  warm.  They  are 
very  liable  to  sprout  and  rot,  and  it  is  difficult  to  keep 
them  until  spring.  This,  however,  depends  much 
upon  the  dampness  of  the  cellar.  Perhaps  as  suitable 
a  place  as  can  be  had,  unless  by  constructing  a  house 
expressly  for  it,  is  the  bay  of  a  barn,  using  that  portion 
only  below  the  first  beam  or  sill.  A  tight  floor  should 
be  provided,  and  the  sides  lined  with  saw-dust,  tan- 
bark,  turning-shavings,  or  something  of  the  kind,  to  a 
thickness  of  six  or  eight  inches.  A  door  should  be 
made  at  each  end,  so  that  there  may  be  a  circulation 
of  air,  until  compelled  to  close  them  by  the  severity  of 
the  weather.  A  place  of  this  description  will  hold 
several  hundred  bushels,  and  should  contain  one  or 
two  temporary  partitions,  running  lengthwise,  and 
as  high  as  the  onions.  This  prevents  them  from  lying 
so  compact,  and  tends  to  keep  them  from  heating, 
sweating,  etc.  Sticks,  boards,  or  any  thing  of  the  kind, 
placed  in  through  them,  answers  a  good  purpose.  Aa 
soon  as  freezing  weather  sets  in,  close  the  doors, 
and  cover  with  straw.  Those  designed  to  be  market- 
ed before  the  severe  cold  weather  comes  on,  may  be 
put  in  any  place  under  cover.  Those  designed  fo: 
wintering  should  be  put  in  with  tops  on,  as  they 
sprout  much  less.  In  fact  it  is  better  to  top  them  as 
they  are  marketed,  in  all  cases.  Topping  makes  good 
wet-weather  employment. 

MARKETING. — The  producer  will  have  to  exercise 
his  own  judgment  as  to  the  proper  season  for  market- 
ing. For  a  number  of  years  past  they  have  brought 
the  best  price  in  the  spring,  yet  there  have  been 
springs  when  we  have  thrown  away  hundreds  of 
bushels.  This,  however,  seldom  occurs.  Where  a 
person  raises  largely,  it  is  necessary  to  commence 
marketing  as  soon  as  the  onions  are  ripe  enough  to 
pull,  in  order  to  get  them  off  in  time.  We  have  found 
it  advisable  to  sell  whenever  they  bring  a  good  paying 
price.  They  should  never  be  moved  while  frozen.  If 
kept  covered  and  undisturbed  while  frozen,  the  frost 
will  leave  them  uninjured,  unless  it  is  too  severe,  and 
often  repeated. 

YIELD. — Much  depends  upon  the  soil  and  season  for 
a  large  yield.  The  average  crop  is  about  five  hundred 
bushels  per  acre.  A  large  yield  oaa  not  be  expected 
in  this  section  without  having  the  soil  of  the  proper 
texture  and  a  heavy  manuring.  The  more  manure,  the 
more  onions.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  raising  eight  or 
nine  hundred  bushels  per  acre.  The  same  ground  may 
be  used  for  many  years  in  succession  if  well  manured, 
and  with  better  success  than  by  changing  every  year, 
or  every  few  years.  Pains  should  be  taken  to  destroy 
all  weeds,  so  that  none  shall  go  to  seed  upon  the 


12 


HOW   TO   KAISE    ONIONS. 


ground,  and  also  in  making  manure,  that  no  seed  may 
oe  present  in  that.  By  so  doing  for  a  few  years, 
onions  may  be  raised  with  but  little  expense. 

Experience  is  necessary  to  raise  onions  successfully. 
We  would  not  advise  any  person  unacquainted  with 
growing  onions,  to  enter  into  it  very  largely  at  first,  for 
it  would  very  likely  prove  a  failure.  "We  have 
observed  several  instances  where  individuals  have 
commenced  with  a  small  patch,  who  have  increased 


gradually  until  t^ey  have  reached  six,  eight,  or  ten 
acres,  while  others  commencing  with  one  acre  or 
more,  were  unsuccessful,  and  have  abandoned  the 
business.  It  can  not  be  expected  that  from  three  to 
four  hundred  dollars  per  acre  should  be  realized  with- 
out considerable  expense ;  and  although  we  may  read 
the  various  methods  of  others  in  regard  to  it,  we  are 
ill-prepared  to  go  into  the  business  of  raising  onions 
on  a  large  scale  without  experience. 


No.  VI. 


BY  ARTHUR  C.  TAYLOR,   FAIRFIELD  CO.,  CT. 


THE  first  thing  to  look  after  is  the  seed.  In  select- 
jag  the  onions  to  plant  for  seed,  choose  those  of  a 
oright  red  color,  of  a  medium  size,  with  a  small  top, 
vwell  dried  down  to  where  it  joins  the  bulb,)  in  shape 
as  near  round  as  you  can  find.  Round  onions  yield 
more  per  acre  than  flat  ones.  If  your  seed-onions  are 
deeper  than  they  are  broad,  your  onions  will  be  in- 
clined to  run  to  scallions,  (unsalable  onions  with  thick 
green  tops,)  a  result  much  to  be  dreaded  by  the  onion- 
raiser.  Plant  your  seed-onions  in  drills,  three  feet 
apart,  the  onions  four  inches  apart  in  the  drills.  Plant 
deep  in  the  ground,  and  hoe  the  dirt  up  to  the  plants 
as  they  grow.  In  weeding,  be  careful  not  to  rub  the 
seed-stalks,  as  it  will  sometimes  cause  the  seed  to  blast. 
When  the  stalks  have  nearly  all  turned  yellow,  cut  off 
the  seed-balls,  and  dry  them  on  a  roof  or  garret  floor. 
When  dry,  clean  the  seed,  ready  for  sowing  in  the 
spring. 

In  choosing  the  ground,  a  level  piece  is  preferable 
to  side-hill,  on  account  of  its  being  less  liable  to  be 
washed  by  spring  rains.  The  soil  should  be  deep  and 
rich,  neither  too  wet  nor  too  dry,  (of  the  two  rather 
moist.)  Unlike  most  other  crops,  onions  may  be  plant- 
ed on  the  same  ground  fur  a  great  number  of  years,  and 
still  bring  good  crops. 

Manure  very  highly,  stable-manure,  ground  bones, 
ashes,  and  guano  are  all  very  good.  Stable-manure 
should  be  ploughed  in ;  be  careful  to  turn  it  all  under. 
Bones  or  ashes  may  be  harrowed  in  after  the  ground 
in  ploughed.  G-uano  should  be  raked  in  after  the  har- 
rowing is  done.  Guano  does  well  with  other  manure. 
It  gives  the  young  plants  a  good  start  early  in  the  sea- 
son. The  ground  should  be  ploughed  deep.  It  may  be 
done  either  in  the  fall  or  in  the  spring.  Fall  ploughing 
is  preferred  by  many,  as  it  helps  on  the  spring  work, 
and  gives  a  chance  to  get  the  seed  in  the  ground  early, 
which  is  a  great  advantage.  As  soon  as  the  ground  is 
free  from  frost,  and  dry  enough  to  pulverize  the  lumps, 
harrow  it  well,  first  with  the  tooth,  then  with  a  nice 
even  brush-harrow.  After  the  harrowing  has  been 
thoroughly  done,  use  the  hand  rake  until  your  ground 


is  free  from  lumps  and  stones.  Be  careful  to  pick  up 
all  the  stones.  The  ground  is  now  ready  for  the  seed. 
Sow  in  drills  one  foot  apart;  gauge  your  machine  to 
sow  about  four  pounds  per  acre.  If  the  ground  is  in 
good  order,  and  you  are  sure  your  seed  is  all  good,  a 
little  less  than  four  pounds  will  do  per  acre.  Cover  the 
seed  by  pushing  the  head  of  a  rake  or  the  back  of  & 
corn-hoe  along  the  drills.  If  the  rows  are  made  very 
straight,  it  will  save  time  in  cultivating. 

Nothing  more  is  to  be  done  until  the  onions  are  up 
enough  to  see  the  rows.  Then  go  through  with  a  light 
onion-hoe,  stirring  the  ground  between  the  rows.  As 
soon  as  the  onions  are  all  up,  put  in  tho  boys  with 
weeders,  to  take  out  the  weeds  which  the  hoes  have 
left.  The  weeders  are  little  hoes,  two  inches  wide  by 
one  inch  deep,  with  a  short  handle.  Boys  soon  be- 
come very  handy  at  this  work,  and  are  better  than  men 
at  the  business.  All  we  have  to  do  now,  is  to  keep  free 
from  weeds  by  hoeing  and  weeding  until  pulling-time, 
which  is  generally  in  September.  When  tho  tops  have 
nearly  all  fallen  down,  and  about  half  of  them  are  dry, 
they  are  fit  to  pull.  Leave  them  on  the  ground  after 
they  are  pulled  until  the  tops  are  all  dry,  then  store 
them  in  a  dry  place.  Onions  will  look  brighter  if 
heaped  up  soon  after  pulling,  and  left  in  heaps  to  cure. 

Much  care  should  be  used  in  curing  white  onions,  as 
the  sale  of  them  is  injured  by  having  the  skins  mil- 
dewed. They  should  be  pulled  earlier  than  red 
onions.  A  good  plan  is  to  carry  them  in,  soon  after 
pulling,  and  dry  them  by  spreading  out  thin  in  lofts. 

An  important  item  after  the  onion  crop  is  raised,  is 
to  have  it  well  housed.  Onions  will  keep  best  on  a 
floor  where  the  air  can  circulate  over  and  under  them. 
They  should  be  kept  cool,  but  must  not  be  allowed  to 
freeze  much.  Onions  for  seed  should  be  put  in  the 
cellar  when  the  weather  becomes  cold,  as  the  yield  ot 
seed  will  be  small  if  the  onions  have  been  touched 
with  frost.  On  a  good  piece  of  ground,  six  hundred 
bushels  of  onions  can  be  raised  to  the  acre,  which  at 
50  cents  per  bushel,  will  bring  $300  from  one  acre  of 
ground. 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


13 


If  the  planting  of  onions  for  seed  has  been  neglect-     onions,  than  to  get  a  supply  from  seed  stoies  where 


ed,  great  care  should  to  taken  in  procuring  seed.     It 
is  better  to  give  a  large  price  for  seed  from  selected 


you  know  nothing  about  the  quality  of  the  onions 
planted. 


No.  VII. 


BY  DAVID  H.  SHERWOOD,  FAIRFIELD  CO.,  CT. 


RAISING  SEED.— Most  people  are  aware  that  the 
great  onion  crop  of  the  country  is  raised  from  the  black 
see-d.  There  has  been  a  great  change  in  the  s-hape  of 
the  onion  within  a  few  years.  They  were  formerly 
quite  flat,  but  now  the  best  are  as  far  through  from 
the  top  to  the  root  as  the  other  way.  Therefore  select 
the  very  best  for  seed,  those  that  are  as  near  round  as 
possible,  solid  and  smooth.  These  should  be  kept 
through  the  winter  in  a  dry  place,  where  the  thermo- 
meter will  not  fall  below  20°. 

As  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground  in  the 
spring,  it  should  be  well  manured  and  ploughed  deep. 
Dig  trenches  three  feet  apart  and  five  inches  deep. 
Set;  your  onions  in  the  bottom  of  these  drills  about 
six  inches  apart.  As  they  grow  up,  fill  the  trenches 
with  dirt,  and  the  stalks  will  not  fall  down,  which  is 
apt  to  blast  the  seed.  Keep  clear  from  weeds  until 
they  blossom,  after  which  do  not  disturb  them. 
When  the  stalk  below  the  seed-ball  turns  yellowish, 
and  the  seed-husks  begin  to  open,  cut  off  the  seed- 
balls  and  spread  them  thinly  on  a  tight  floor,  stirring 
them  once  in  three  days ;  or,  what  is  better,  spread 
them  on  a  lattice  over  a  tight  floor,  as  they  will  then 
have  the  air  around  them,  which  is  very  essential,  as 
they  are  apt  to  mildew.  They  should  remain  in  this 
way  for  several  weeks,  until  they  will  shell  easy. 
After  the  chaff  is  blown  out,  pour  the  seed  into  water  ; 
throw  away  that  which  floats,  and  dry  the  remainder 
in  the  sun  for  three  or  four  days ;  after  which  put  in 
coarse  bags,  and  hang  where  it  will  have  plenty  of  air, 
as  I  know  of  no  seed  that  is  more  likely  to  chit  than 
onion-seed. 

PREPARATION  OP  THE  GROUND  for  the  reception  of 
the  seed,  is  the  next  thing  of  importance.  I  have 
seen  good  onions  on  reclaimed  bog  swamp,  also  on  re- 
claimed swamp  with  a  clay  sub-soil,  but  I  think  the 
best  ground  for  the  purpose  is  a  dry  loam.  It  should 
first  be  in  hoed  crops  three  or  four  years,  and  all 
weeds  kept  from  going  to  seed.  Clear  your  ground 
from  all  rubbish,  stones,  etc.,  in  the  fall,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, put  on  twenty  loads,  of  fifty  bushel  each,  of  fine, 
well-rotted  manure  to  the  acre,  and  plough  it  in  before 
winter.  If  thus  treated  in  the  fall,  you  can  sow  the 
seed  in  the  spring  much  earlier  and  easier  than  if 
ploughed  in  the  spring.  But  as  many  are  apt  to  put 
off  until  to-morrow  what  should  be  done  to-day,  I  will 
say,  manure  your  ground  in  the  spring  as  soon  as  it 
is  dry  enough  to  work,  ploughing  it  in  at  once,  as  fast 


as  it  can  be  harrowed,  raked,  and  sowed,  as  it  is  apt 
to  become  lumpy  if  allowed  to  lay  in  the  sun  after 
ploughing.  Never  use  a  tooth-harrow,  as  it  will  draw 
out  the  manure.  I  smooth  the  ground  as  follows: 
Take  a  plank  eight  feet  long,  one  foot  wide,  and  three 
inches  thick.  Through  this,  bore  four  holes,  and  insert 
four  sticks,  four  feet  long  and  three  inches  square.  On 
the  under-side  of  these  sticks,  fasten  boards.  The  front 
plank  standing  edgewise  as  it  moves  along,  will  level 
the  furrows,  while  the  boards  behind  will  smooth 
them.  "Wood  ashes,  at  the  rate  of  from  one  to  two 
hundred  bushels  to  the  acre,  harrowed  in,  will  pay 
double  their  cost  in  most  cases.  After  you  have 
leveled  and  smoothed  your  ground  as  much  as  con-- 
venient  with  your  team  and  leveler,  use  the  hand- 
rake,  leaving  the  surface  as  fine  and  even  as  possible. 

In  order  to  have  your  rows  straight,  draw  a  line 
across  the  field.  Draw  the  pi  anting- machine  by  the 
line.  These  machines  for  planting,  which  cost  about  five 
dollars,  plant  two  drills  at  a  time,  one  foot  apart,  and 
about  half  an  inch  deep.  I  use  four  pounds  of  seed 
to  the  acre,  and  cover  by  drawing  a  hand-rake  length- 
wise over  the  drills.  The  usual  time  of  sowing  here 
in  the  southern  part  of  Connecticut,  is  from  the  first  to 
the  fifteenth  of  April.  A  hand-roller  drawn  over  the 
ground  after  planting,  will  help  the  seed  to  germinate. 

About  two  weeks  is  required  to  bring  up  the  seed, 
and  they  should  be  hoed  as  soon  as  the  rows  can  be 
seen,  which  will  generally  be  the  latter  part  of  May. 
The  most  convenient  hoe  which  I  have  seen  for  this 
purpose,  is  eight  inches  long  and  one  and  a  half  wide, 
inserted  in  a  handle  six  feet  long.  Much  depends 
upon  how  the  hoe  stands,  about  its  working  easy.  If 
made  right,  the  dirt  will  slide  over  it.  After  the  weeds 
that  are  cut  up  by  the  hoe,  have  had  time  to  die,  they 
should  be- gone  over  carefully  one  row  at  a  time,  cutting 
and  pulling  every  weed  from  the  row.  The  most  con- 
venient way  for  doing  this,  is  to  crawl  on  your  knees 
with  a  small  hoe  in  one  hand,  to  cut  where  there  is 
room,  and  pull  with  the  other  hand.  The  hoe  for  this 
purpose  should  be  about  three  inches  long,  three 
fourths  of  an  inch  wide,  inserted  in  a  handle  eight 
inches  long. 

From  this  time  they  should  be  kept  perfectly  free 
from  weeds ;  to  do  this,  they  will  require  going  over 
from  three  to  five  times,  or  once  in  two  weeks ;  but 
as  to  this,  there  can  be  no  rule  given,  as  much  depends 
upon  the  soil,  the  kind  of  manure,  weather,  etc. 


u 


HOW   TO   EAISE    ONIONS. 


It  is  much  easier  to  keep  them  clean  by  going  over 
taem  often,  than  to  put  it  off  too  long;  besides,  weeds 
shade  the  ground  and  impoverish  the  soil.  There 
should  be  no  trees  to  shade  the  onions,  as  they  will 
hardly  grow  in  sight  of  one. 

If  the  onions  grow  well,  the  tops  will  fall  down 
before  they  are  done  growing ;  at  other  times  they 
will  stand  stiff  and  never  fall.  If  they  fall  down,  they 
are  fit  to  pull  when  about  three  fourths  of  the  tops 
are  dead,  which  is  generally  the  last  of  August  or  the 
fore  part  of  September.  The  sooner  they  are  pulled 
after  they  are  fit,  the  better  they  will  keep,  and  the 
brighter  they  will  look.  Commence,  by  pulling  a  few 
rows,  and  lay  them  one  side.  Hoe  up  the  weeds  and 
rake  them  off,  then  pull  the  next  rows,  and  hoe  off  the 
weeds  as  before.  Continue  thus  through  the  field. 
Pull  with  your  hands,  and  lay  them  over  carefully. 
If  the  weather  is  good,  after  they  have  lain  spread  for 
three  or  four  days,  pile  them  up,  putting  about  three 
bushels  in  a  pile  in  the  form  of  a  pyramid.  Let  them 
stand  in  this  way  from  two  to  four  weeks,  or  until  the 
tops  are  all  dead,  and  if  there  should  be  heavy  rains 
during  the  time,  the  piles  should  be  opened  on  a  fair 
day,  and  piled  again.  Piling  them  up  causes  them  to 
sweat,  and  they  are  then  less  likely  to  sweat  after 
carrying  in.  After  they  are  properly  cured,  open  the 
piles  on  a  drying  day,  and  they  will  generally  be  fit 
to  put  in  the  day  following.  Never  cart  them  until 
they  are  perfectly  dry  and  dusty,  and  it  should  be  done 
between  11  A. M.  and  4  P.M.  One  half  the  secret  of 
their  keeping  well,  is  in  carting  them  when  perfectly 
dry. 

If  they  are  to  be  disposed  of  before  cold  weather, 
they  can  be  kept  in  any  dry  place  where  they  will 
have  air.  The  best  place  is  on  a  loose  floor,  where  the 
air  will  draw  under  them.  If  they  are  to  be  kept 
through  the  winter,  have  a  tight  floor,  which  the  frost 
can  not  get  under.  On  this  lay  scantling,  upon  which 
lay  narrow  boards,  with  cracks  between  them.  Board 
up  around  the  outside,  leaving  a  space  of  one  foot  be- 
tween them  and  the  outside  partition.  Arranged  in  this 
way,  you  have  a  free  circulation  of  air  all  around  them 
When  the  thermometer  sinks  to  20°,  fill  the  space 
around  the  outside  with  sea-weed,  onion-tops,  or  some- 
thing of  the  kind,  which  easily  stops  the  circulation  o: 
air.  They  can  be  put  in  such  a  place  three  feet  deep, 
with  hay,  cornstalks,  or  something  of  the  kind,  two  feel 


thick  over  them,  and  they  will  come  out  good  in  thfe 
spring.  Before  sending  to  market,  cut  the  top  one 
nch  from  the  onion.  If  they  get  frozen,  let  them 
remain  still  and  covered  until  thawed.  Always  handle 
them  as  carefully  as  you  would  apples,  as  a  slight 
bruise  will  cause  them  to  mould  and  rot. 

The  expense  of  an  acre  of  onions  with  me  is  about 
as  follows : 

20  loads  of  manure  at  $1.50 $30.00 

Carting,  turnfng,  spreading,  etc 6.00 

100  bushels  ashes,  at  It  cts 17.00 

Ploughing  and  harrowing, 4.00 

Raking  and  sowing, 4.00 

4  Ibs.  of  seed,  at  $1, 4  00 

Hoeing  four  times,  6  days, 6.00 

Weeding  four  times,  24  days, 20.00 

Pulling  and  piling,  12  days, 10.00 

Drawing  in  with  team,  two  days, 6.00 

Topping  500  bushels,  at  2  cts., 10.00 

Marketing, 8.00 

Interest  on  land, 12.00 


Total, 


..$137.00 


A  crop  of  onions  will  vary  from  200  to  800  bushels 
to  the  acre,  according  to  the  state  of  the  soil,  manure, 
the  care  taken  of  them,  etc.  The  price  also  varies 
from  10  cts.  to  $1  per  bushel. 

The  red  globe  onion  is  the  variety  generally  raised 
for  market,  as  it  yields  more  than  other  varieties,  and 
keeps  better.  The  silver-skin  onion  brings  the  highest 
price,  but  is  very  apt  to  mould  and  rot  before  winter. 
Some  may  think,  1  have  been  very  particular  in  the 
above  description,  but  after  they  have  had  ten  years' 
experience,  they  will  find  there  is  yet  something 
to  be  learned.  If  you  are  too  proud  to  go  on  your 
knees,  or  have  not  the  patience  to  spend  much  time  on 
a  small  place,  or  have  not  enough  perseverance  to  do 
the  same  thing  over  and  over  again,  you  had  better  sell 
your  seed,  and  sow  your  ground  to  buckwheat. 

Onions  are  a  crop  which  generally  pay  a  large  pro- 
fit, but  sometimes  the  neglect  of  a  few  days  will 
spoil  it.  The  same  piece  may  be  planted  year  after 
year  with  success.  The  weeding,  pulling,  and  topping 
can  be  done  by  faithful  boys  as  well  as  by  men. 

It  is  estimated  that  from  the  towns  of  Fairfield 
and  "Westport  there  were  sent  to  market  last  year 
not  far  from  200,000  (two  hundred  thousand)  bushels. 


EXPERIENCE   OP   PRACTICAL   GKOWEES 


15 


No.   VIII. 


BY  G.  I.  MILLER,  NIAGARA,  CANADA  WEST. 


IT  is  of  the  greatest  importance  in  growing  onions  to 
have  the  right  kind  of  soil,  and  that  in  the  highest 
state  of  cultivation.  In  my  opinion,  a  light  sandy 
soil,  well  drained  for  all  seasons,  is  preferable.  Onions 
also  can  be  raised  to  great  advantage  on  black  loam  or 
light  clay  soil,  providing  the  seasons  are  not  too  dry. 

To  prepare  the  ground,  I  would  recommend  a  piece 
that  has  been  planted  with  potatoes,  manured  with 
rotten  horse-stable  manure,  at  the  rate  of  about  fifty 
loads  per  acre.  As  soon  as  the  potatoes  have  been 
taken  from  the  ground,  plough  about  seven  inches  deep, 
letting  it  lie  until  the  first  of  April,  or  as  soon  as  the 
ground  will  admit  of  being  worked,  then  adding  about 
ten  loads  of  hog-manure,  well  spread  over  the  surface, 
and  plough  under  from  five  to  six  inches  deep,  after 
which  spread  a  few  bushels  of  hen-manure,  and  then 
harrow  the  ground  until  it  is  well  pulverized.  The 
land  is  now  ready  to  sow,  for  the  earlier  the  seed  is 
sown,  the  better  the  onions  will  be. 

Testing  the  seed  can  bo  done  by  cutting  two  sods 
from  the  ground,  and  pouring  boiling  water  over  them, 
letting  the  water  drain  well  off,  then  placing  the  seed 
between  the  sods,  and  laying  them  under  the  stove  for 
about  two  days,  when  the  seed,  if  good,  will  sprout.  I 
would  recommend  the  large  red  globe  onion  as  being 
the  best  variety  for  market. 

The  seed  should  be  sown  by  a  seed-drill,  eighteen 
inches  apart,  in  rows  lengthwise  of  the  land,  at  the 
rate  of  about  three  to  three  and  a  half  pounds  of  seed 
per  acre,  leaving  a  space  of  three  feet  in  the  dead  fur- 


rows for  weeds,  etc.  It  is  necessary,  as  soon  as  the 
rows  can  be  plainly  seen,  to  go  through  them  with  the 
hoe,  leaving  the  ground  as  level  as  possible,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  eight  or  ten  days,  go  through  them  again, 
weeding,  and  thinning  them  from  one  to  two  inches 
apart ;  after  which  it  will  be  necessary  to  apply  the 
hoe  every  two  weeks,  always  bearing  in  mind,  that  the 
oftener  the  ground  is  stirred,  the  greater  will  be  the 
produce. 

After  the  tops  are  dropped  down  and  withered,  then 
pull. them  at  once,  for  if  left  in  the  above  condition, 
they  will  take  the  second  growth,  which  will  injure 
the  quality  materially. 

After  they  are  pulled  up,  let  them  lay  on  the  ground 
for  a  few  days  to  dry,  then  top  them  with  a  sharp 
knife,  taking  care  before  doing  this,  that  the  onions  are 
perfectly  dry ;  after  which,  spread  them  thin,  in  a  dry, 
cool  place,  and  then  you  have  them  ready  for  the 
market. 

It  is  advantageous  to  grow  them  on  the  same  piece 
of  ground  for  five  or  six  years,  adding  a  little  manure 
every  spring  before  ploughing. 

Onions  raised  by  this  method  will  produce  from 
seven  to  nine  hundred  bushels  per  acre,  on  a  light, 
sandy  soil.  Onions  raised  on  the  aforesaid  plan  havo 
taken  the  first  prizes  for  the  last  six  years  at  our  count) 
and  township  shows,  and  the  first  prize  at  the  Provin 
cial  Agriculture  Show,  held  at  Toronto,  Canada  Wesi 
on  September  28th,  1858. 


No.  IX. 


BY  TJ,  E.  DODGE,  CHATAUQUE  CO.,  N.  Y. 


SEED. — To  cultivate  onions  successfully,  and  with- 
out failures,  care  is  necessary  in  selecting  and  raising 
seed.  Seed  should  never  be  sown  when  over  two 
years  old.  Onions,  intended  for  seed,  should  be  care- 
fully selected,  choosing  the  thickest  and  the  most  per- 
fectly round,  of  medium  size,  and  the  brightest  colors 
of  the  kind.  These  should  be  stored  through  the  win- 
ter, or  from  December  until  the  opening  of  spring. 
At  the  earliest  possible  moment,  they  should  be  set  in 
furrows  opened  with  the  plough,  three  feet  apart,  and 
four  inches  in  the  rows.  None  but  fine,  well-pulver- 
ized land,  should  b3  used  for  raising  onion-seed.  Cover 
two  inches  deep.  Avoid  putting  on  any  lumps  or 
stones,  as  these,  whenever  they  fall  upon  the  onions, 


retard  their  coming  up,  and  consequently  make  an  un- 
even harvest  All  weeds  must  be  kept  down  wj'-b 
the  cultivator  and  hand-hoe,  until  thd  &eed  matmes, 
which  will  be  about  the  last  of  August,  or  the  urst 
of  September — never  later  than  the  ciixUi  of  Septpm- 
ber  in  this  latitude.  Their  mature 7  Liay  be  easily 
known  by  the  cracking  of  the  ball'*  As  soon  as  the 
balls  commence  cracking,  the  headr  &could  be  clipped, 
leaving  six  or  eight  inches  of  the  SUIK  adhering  to  the 
head.  The  juice  or  sap  which  the  stalk  contains,  ma- 
tures more  perfect  seed  than  when  clipped  short.  The 
mode  of  cutting,  is  to  take  a  common  wooden  pail  ic 
the  left  hand,  and  a  sharp  knife  in  the  other,  holding 
the  blade  parallel  with  the  thumb.  Slio  the  stalk  be- 


16 


HOW  TO   RAISE   ONIONS. 


tween  the  thumb  and  knife,  at  the  same  time  swing  up 
the  pail  to  the  standing  stalk,  and  a  slight  draw  with 
the  right  hand  severs  the  head  from  the  stalk,  which 
falls  into  the  pail,  with  all  loose  seed  which  would 
otherwise  be  lost.  The  pails,  as  they  become  full,  are 
emptied  into  bags,  and  taken  to  the  drying-barn.  It  is 
not  an  extraordinary  day's  work  for  a  man  to  cut  ten 
bushels  seed  per  day. 

Drying  the  seed  requires  some  care,  and  neglect  in 
-his  branch  is  the  cause  of  great  loss  by  failures  in  the 
germination  of  the  seed.  Onion-seed,  to  be  cured  pro- 
perly, and  insure  entire  success  in  germination,  should 
be  dried  in  the  shade,  spread  upon  a  smooth  level 
floor,  and  not  more  than  three  inches  thick.  It  should 
be  turned  twice  every  day,  until  perfectly  dry.  The 
first  quality  of  seed  is  obtained  from  that  which  shells 
while  turning;  that  which  remains,  and  has  to  be 
threshed  from,  the  balls,  being  light,  and  of  inferior 
quality. 

SOIL. — That  best  adapted  to  the  growth  of  onions  is 
a  deep  mellow  loam,  resting  on  a  dry,  porous  sub-soil. 
Although  a  vegetable  of  very  shallow  root,  yet  the 
onion  delights  in  a  deep,  finely-pulverized  soil.  Cold, 
wet  clay-sand  seldom  produces  good  crops,  unless 
thoroughly  underdrained,  and  otherwise  mechanically 
prepared. 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  GROUND.  —  Soil,  containing 
the  natural  requisites,  namely,  dry,  mellow,  and  fertile, 
should  be  ploughed  in  the  fall,  previous  to  sowing  the 
crop.  Twenty  loads,  of  one  cord  each,  of  well-rotted 
manure,  prepared  by  shoveling  over  two  or  three  times 
the  summer  previous,  should  be  spread  upon  each  acre. 
At  each  turning,  put  the  outside  of  the  heap  into  the 
middle  of  the  pile,  thus  destroying  thousands  of  weed- 
seeds  that  would  otherwise  grow,  causing  much  extra 
labor  to  eradicate  them.  The  manure  thus  prepared  is 
spread  evenly  upon  the  ground,  and  turned  under  with 
the  plough  from  five  to  six  inches  deep,  and  thus  re- 
mains till  spring,  leaving  the  frost  to  pulverize  the  sur- 
face, and  destroy  all  insects  whose  winter-quarters  have 
been  made  beneath  the  surface,  and  whose  eggs  and 
Iarva3  can  not  stand  the  severity  of  our  winters,  when 
exposed  to  the  weather  from  November  till  April. 

As  soon  in  the  spring  as  the  weather  and  the  soil 
will  permit,  the  bed  should  be  cross-ploughed,  leaving 
the  furrows  upon  edge  as  much  as  possible,  so  that  a 
harrowing  will  mix  the  manure  with  the  soil.  It 
should  be  harrowed  across  the  furrows,  and  raked 
lengthwise  of  them  by  hand. 

PLANTING. — Draw  a  line  at  one  side  of  the  bed,  and 
prepare  a  marker  by  taking  a  piece  of  scantling  four 
by  four,  or  any  other  convenient  size,  and  bore  four  inch- 
holes,  twelve  inches  apart.  In  these  insert  four  pins 
for  teeth,  a^.d  make  a  hole  in  the  middle  of  the  piece, 
at  right  angles  to  the  teeth,  for  a  handle.  With  this, 
draw  marks  parallel  with  the  line,  and  the  ground  is 
ready  for  sowing.  Sow  at  the  rate  of  four  pounds  seed 
to  tie  aero,  with  a  seed-drill,  being  careful  to  gauge 


the  drill  not  to  sow  over  that  quantity.  All  over  that 
increases  the  labor  of  thinning. 

If  the  weather  has  the  appearance  of  being  dry,  it 
would  be  well  to  roll,  after  sowing,  with  a  hand-roller; 
but  this  is  seldom  required,  as  the  roller  upon  the  drill 
usually  presses  the  ground  sufficiently  for  the  germina- 
tion of  the  seed. 

CULTURE. — As  soon  as  the  onions  make  their  aru 
pearance  above  the  ground,  sufficient  to  distinguish  the 
rows,  they  should  be  carefully  dressed  through  with 
the  scuffle-hoe,  to  destroy  all  young  weeds  that  may  be 
starting,  and  greatly  facilitate  the  first  hoeing  and 
weeding,  which  should  be  done  when  the  plants  are 
about  four  inches  high.  Procrastination  here  pays 
heavy  interest  on  the  wrong  side.  Thin  to  three 

inches  in  the  row  diagonally  thus :  •       ?  .•        Great 

results  are  frequently  obtained  by  sowing  broadcast  at 
the  weeding,  when  the  ground  is  in  a  fresh  state, 
three  parts  wood  ashes,  two  parts  fine  dry  pulverized 
hen-manure,  and  one  part  plaster,  at  the  rate  of  three 
bushels  to  the  acre. 

The  only  sure  road  to  success  with  this  crop  is  clean 
cultivation,  annual  manuring,  and  careful  attention 
during  their  growth.  With  these  requisites,  onions  can 
be  grown  on  land  year  after  year.  The  writer  of  this, 
last  year  (1858)  raised  over  five  hundred  bushels  to 
the  acre  on  land  that  had  had  no  other  crop  upon  it 
for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  by  actual  experi- 
ments finds  that  it  produces  better  onions,  and  is 
easier  tilled,  in  consequence  of  its  being  kept  free  from 
weeds  year  after  year,  and  the  onions  are  less  liable  to 
run  to  scallions.  In  this  particular  they  are  an  excep- 
tion to  any  other  crop,  as  all  other  crops  are  benefited 
by  rotation. 

As  a  market  vegetable,  the  onion  is  one  of  the 
easiest  grown ;  its  plump,  firm  flesh  is  not  liable  to 
injury  from  bruises,  as  many  other  vegetables ;  its 
keeping  qualities  and  hardiness  to  frost,  render  it  a 
vegetable  of  the  first  importance  for  distant  markets. 

The  onion  is  hardy  in  its  nature,  standing  well  the 
late  frosts  of  spring  and  the  early  frosts  of  autumn, 
and  the  best  results  are  obtained  from  the  earliest  sow- 
ing ;  in  fact,  this  is  almost  indispensable  to  obtain  a 
large  crop,  although  there  may  be  certain  seasons  in 
which  a  late  crop  may  do  well ;  but  it  is  net  safe  tc 
defer  sowing  later  than  the  twentieth  of  April.  The 
last  of  March,  or  the  first  of  April  would  be  preferred, 
if  the  ground  was  in  the  proper  condition.  No  time 
should  be  lost  upon  the  opening  of  spring  until 
the  seed  is  in.  A  little  snow,  or  a  few  frosty  nights, 
will  not  injure  it.  With  proper  attention,  and  large 
drafts  upon  the  bank  of  muck  and  manure,  a  few  acres 
of  onions  will  increase  the  deposits  at  the  Bank  of 
Exchange  a  large  per  centage  in  a  few  years,  as  I  shall 
attempt  to  show  in  the  following  calculation,  taking  low 
market  prices,  and  a  high  estimate  on  labor,  and  hardly 
an  average  per  acre,  say  four  hundred  bushels ; 


EXPERIENCE   OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


17 


2  days1  ploughing  and  dragging,          $4.00 
10    "  raking  and  sowing,  10.00 
20    "  weeding  and  thinning,  first  time,  20.00 
15    "        "                 «     second  time,  15.00 

8  "  hoeing,  last  time,  8.00 

20  "  harvesting  and  housing,  20.00 

4  pounds  seed,  4.00 

20  loads  of  manure,  20.00 

3  bushels  top-dressing,  .75 
Interest  on  land,                                 10.50 

Total,  $112.25 

400  bushels,  at  50  cents,  200.00 

Net  profit  per  acre,  $87.75 

HARVESTING  onions  is  not  so  laborious  as  many 
other  kinds  of  vegetables ;  their  maturity  being  earlier 
in  the  season,  those  engaged  in  their  culture  are  not 
exposed  to  the  late  cold  autumn  winds,  as  they  would 
be  with  a  crop  of  beets,  carrots,  or  turnips.  The  most 
expeditious  mode  of  harvesting  is  to  dig  them  with 
the  common  hand-hoe,  running  one  corner  of  the  hoe 
under  the  row,  giving  it  a  long  draw,  taking  about 
four  rows  at  a  time,  digging  over  some  ten  or  twelve 
foet ;  then,  with  the  back  of  the  hoe,  shove  them  up 
three  or  four  feet,  and  hoe  the  ground  level,  and  spread 
the  onions  upon  this  hoed  space. 

"When  treated  in  this  way,  they  should  lie  from 
three  to  four  weeks'  or  until  perfectly  dry.  They 
should  then  be  picked  from  the  bed,  and  carted  to  the 
barn,  or  some  building  where  they  will  not  be  exposed 
to  storms,  and  kept  upon  a  floor,  as  they  will  soon 
injure  if  piled  in  large  heaps  upon  the  ground,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  dampness  which  they  draw  from  the 
earth.  If  properly  dried,  and  secured  from  damp,  they 
will  keep  for*  months  in  this  condition,  without  any 
further  trouble.  They  are  liable  to  grow  when  damp, 
so  that  it  is  important  that  the  cultivator  see  that  this 
part  of  the  work  be  conducted  thoroughly  and  carefully. 

MARKETING.— Onions  are  principally  sold  by  the 
bushel,  and  by  the  string.  If  intended  to  market  by 
the  bushel,  the  tops  should  be  cut  close  and  smooth, 
and  all  loose  skin  removed,  to  give  them  a  bright, 
plump  appearance.  If  for  home  market,  they  may  be 
put  in  bags,  or  hauled  by  the  wagon-load,  avoiding 
rough  handling  as  far  as  may  be.  If  for  a  distant 
market,  barrels  are  the  most  convenient  mode  of  pack- 
ing. Fill  them  with  the  onions,  packing  tight,  that 
that  there  be  no  shaking,  and  head  strongly.  Packed 
hi  this  way,  and  perfectly  dry,  they  will  go  thousands 
of  miles  by  railroad  or  ship,  and  open  fresh  and  sound. 

Those  intended  for  strings  should  have  two  inches 
of  the  top  left  upon  the  onion.  The  strings  are  made 
by  taking  a  few  straws,  (rye  straw  is  best,)  and  with  a 
piece  of  wrapping  twine,  commence  at  the  butt  end  of 
the  straw  to  wind,  and  at  every  two  or  three  turns  add 
an  onion,  ending  at  the  top.  This  secures  it  firmly, 
and  brings  its  broad,  flat  base  upon  the  outside  of  the 


string.  The  largest  should  be  tied  upon  the  bottom  o< 
the  string,  gradually  diminishing  in  size,  until  the 
smallest  are  tied  upon  the  top.  This  gives  the  string 
a  conical  form,  and  a  neat  and  tidjr  appearance,  when 
arranged  for  sale. 

PRESERVATION. — Keeping  through  the  winter,  with- 
out injury  from  frosts,  or  loss  from  heating  and  grow- 
ing, requires  care  and  experience,  and  various  methods 
are  adopted  to  avoid  these  results.  They  are  buried  in 
large  ricks  upon  the  ground,  and  covered  with  a  heavy 
coat  of  straw  and  a  light  coat  of  earth.  They  are  also 
tied  upon  strings,  and  hung  upon  the  beams  in  the 
cellar  or  warm  garret,  or  spread  thinly  upon  shelves  in 
the  cellar.  Some  pack  in  boxes  or  barrels,  encased 
with  several  thicknesses  of  paper,  and  leave  them  in 
an  out-building.  All  these  have  been  practised  with 
varied  success.  The  most  popular  mode,  and  the  one 
which  has  given  the  most  satisfactory  results,  is  to 
spread  straw,  threshed  with  a  flail,  to  the  depth  of 
twelve  to  eighteen  inches  upon  the  barn -floor,  scaffold, 
or  garret ;  upon  this,  spread  the  onions  from  six  to  ten 
inches  thick,  and  cover  with  straw  eighteen  inches  to 
two  feet,  laying  on  old  pieces  of  boards  or  rails  to  com- 
press the  straw.  Treated  in  this  way,  if  at  a  sufficient 
depth  from  frost,  they  are  not  affected  by  the  changes 
of  temperature,  and  keep  in  fine  condition  till  the  first 
of  May. 

Onions  are  propagated  from  seed,  sets,  and  multi- 
pliers, or  potatoe-onions.  The  universal  mode  of  pro- 
pagation at  the  South  and  "West  is  from  sets,  which 
are  obtained  by  so\v.ing  the  seed  very  thickly,  broad- 
cast or  in  drills,  and  when  they  obtain  the  size  of  a 
filbert,  pull  them,  and  dry  upon  the  ground  in  the  sun. 
These  are  kept  till  the  following  spring,  and  set  by 
hand.  They  make  a  quick,  strong  growth,  and  produce 
fine  onions.  Multipliers  are  a  variety  that  produce 
large  tfnd  small  bulbs  alternately,  the  large  producing 
several  small  ones  the  first  year,  and  these  small  giv- 
ing large  the  next  year.  These  may  be  recommended 
as  a  small  early  crop  for  family  use,  and  early  home 
market,  but  not  as  a  main  crop,  the  increase  of  market- 
able onions  over  the  seed  being  too  small.  Of  all  the 
various  modes  of  propagation,  sowing  the  seed  for  a 
main  crop  deserves  first  rank  ;  its  cheapness,  compared 
with  other  modes,  and  the  facility  with  which  it  is 
sowed,  the  early  season  when  it  may  be  gathered  in, 
and  the  superior  fine  bulbs  which  it  produces,  recom- 
mend it  to  general  use.  But  whatever  the  mode  of 
propagation,  the  cultivator  can  not  expect  remunerative 
crops,  unless  he  bestows  careful  attention  to  the  selec- 
tion of  seed,  the  eradication  of  weeds  during  the 
period  of  their  growth,  annual  application  of  well-com- 
posted manure,  and  in  large  quantities,  and  the  harvest- 
ing, securing,  and  marketing  at  the  proper  time.  "With 
careful  attention  to  these,  and  a  naturally  dry,  fertile 
soil,  onions  may  be  grown,  with  large  profits  upon  the 
capital  invested. 


IS 


HOW   TO    RAISE   ONIONS. 


NO.    X. 

BY  W.  R.  BUNNELL,  BRIDGEPORT,  FAIRFIELD  CO.,  CT 


KINDS. — The  thick  or  globular  deep-red  onion, 
known  as  the  Wethersfield  Large  Red,  is  the  kind 
generally  grown  in  Fairfield  county,  Ct.  It  grows  to 
a  good  size  when  thinly  sown  on  good  ground,  yields 
well,  is  of  a  beautiful  color  and  shape,  tender  in  cooking, 
keeps  well,  and  is  very  salable  in  New-York  market, 
for  use  or  shipping.  Also  a  yellow  onion,  (generally 
called  and  sold  for  white,)  of  nearly  the  same  shape 
and  qualities  as  the  red,  supposed  to  be  the  Danvers, 
which  sells  in  the  same  market  for  one  to  two  shillings 
a  barrel  more  than  the  Reds,  but  does  not  generally 
yield  so  well. 

SEED. — All  seed  should  be  raised  from  good-shaped 
if  not  large  bulbs,  to  avoid  scallions,  (thick-necks  or 
green  onions;)  should  be  water-cleaned  and  kept  very 
dry,  and  though  generally  preferred  only  one  year  old, 
will  succeed  nearly  as  well  after  the  second,  or  even 
third  year,  if  it  has  been  kept  in  a  dry  place,  but  seed 
more  than  one  year  old  sells  at  only  half-price.  Bought 
seed  should  always  be  put  into  water  and  stirred  for  a 
short  time,  and  that  which  does  not  sink  in  fifteen 
minutes,  may  be  considered  worthless  or  unreliable. 

SOIL. — Any  good  garden  soil,  from  a  clay-loam  to 
even  quite  a  gravelly  loam,  say  of  one  half  mixture,  is 
suitable.  In  a  dry  season  the  first  will  yield  best,  and 
.n  a  wet  one  the  last — a  medium  may  be  best. 

EXPOSURE. — The  best  is  a  dry  level,  or  a  slight  in- 
clination to  any  point  of  the  compass  but  the  north. 
It  should  never  incline  over  four  inches  to  the  rod,  to 
prevent  the  rains  from  washing  away  the  soil  with  the 
seeds  or  young  plants.  An  inclination  of  one  to  two 
feet  to  the  rod  is  sometimes  seen.  The  plants  on  side- 
hills,  after  they  get  well  rooted,  do  not  suffer  from  the 
washing  away  of  the  soil,  but  those  buried  by  the 
washed  soil  are  injured ;  therefore  if  possible  avoid 
steep  side-hills  and  hollows,  especially  the  latter, 
where  water  can  stand  after  rains,  which  is  most  inju- 
rious of  all. 

MANURE. — No  fresh  yard-manure  should  be  used,  as 
it  is  apt  to  be  full  of  seeds,  which  will  greatly  increase 
the  labor  of  tending,  and  the  straw  will  be  in  the  way 
of  ploughing,  raking,  and  hoeing.  Night-soil  or  hog- 
manure  is  preferred.  If  barnyard  manure  is  used,  it 
should  be  thrown  into  heaps  before  the  first  of  March, 
to  kill  the  seeds  and  ripen  for  use  by  heating,  or  it  may 
be  carried  out  to  the  field  and  each  load  be  heaped  by 
itself,  and  the  earth  around  thrown  upon  them  as  soon 
as  it  thaws,  to  the  depth  of  three  or  more  inches,  to 
keep  off  the  cold  winds,  and  preserve  their  moisture, 
and  raise  the  heat  high  enough  to  vegetate  the  seeds. 
Turning,  or  well  shaking  up,  putting  the  outside  to  the 
middle  a  week  or  two  before  using,  will  still  further  im- 
orovo  it.  As  to  the  quantity,  the  crop  will  be  in  pro- 


portion to  that  and  the  quality ;  it  should  bp  from  forty 
to  sixty  or  more  ox-cart  loads  to  the  acre,  and  twelve 
to  fifty  bushels  of  leached  ashes  harrowed  or  raked  in, 
or  sowed  on  the  rows  after  weeding. 

PLOUGHING. — So  soon  as  the  ground  is  dry,  have  the 
manure  on  the  field.  First  hoe  it  over,  to  cut  up  all 
grass,  weeds,  and  roots,  and  rake  them  off;  for  if 
ploughed  under,  they  will  be  a  great  plague.  Then  if 
the  heaps  of  manure  were  covered  with  earth,  hoe 
it  off  as  they  are  wanted,  and  return  it  to  the  hollows 
to  level  the  ground,  and  spread  it  just  fast  enough  to 
feed  the  plough,  breaking  it  fine ;  then  rake  or  scrape 
it  with  a  dung-fork,  into  the  furrow,  to  be  covered  in 
the  next  bout.  Once  ploughing  is  sufficient,  if  well 
done.  A  second  would  throw  out  the  manure.  Im- 
mediately after  ploughing,  if  your  quantity  of  manure 
was  not  sufficient,  strew  any  special  manures,  as  pou- 
drette,  guano,  superphosphate,  bone-dust — probably 
the  best  of  all,  etc.,  to  make  up  the  deficiency.  If  the 
ground  is  lumpy,  harrow  lengthwise  first,  and  finish  off 
by  going  over  with  the  back  of  the  harrow  down,  or 
with  a  brush  harrow,  (see  Agriculturist,  1858,  page 
108.)  Then  proceed  to  rake  off  all  the  stones  and 
rubbish,  and  to  even  the  surface.  If  the  soil  is  mellow 
after  ploughing,  harrowing  may  be  omitted.  Many 
simply  scatter  short  fresh  manure,  plough  once,  and 
rake  down,  drill  and  sow ;  but  it  is  a  miserable  way, 
making  extra  work  in  weeding,  and  producing  a  light- 
er crop. 

SOWING. — This  is  cheapest  and  quickest  done  with 
a  machine,  called  an  onion-sower,  which  sows  two 
rows  at  once,  one  foot  apart,  and  costs  about  $5, 
and  is  to  be  found  at  the  agricultural  stores.  It  must 
be  regulated  on  a  floor  or  board,  to  sow  the  seed  to 
average  £  to  f  of  an  inch  apart,  which  will  be  about  4 
Ibs.  to  the  acre — 3-£  to  4  is  the  usual  quantity  for  a 
crop  which  is  not  to  be  thinned  out.  The  machine 
does  not  cover  the  seed.  This  is  done  by  drawing  the 
back  of  a  hay-rake  lengthwise  over  one  or  two  rows 
at  a  time.  Any  special  manures  may  be  scattered 
with  great  advantage  upon  the  seed  in  the  drills  before 
covering.  Make  the  drills  about  £  of  an  inch  deep 
when  open.  But  many  prefer  the  old  way  of  sowing 
by  hand,  and  make  a  drill-rake  with  a  head  three  feet 
four  inches  long,  of  three  or  four  inches  scantling,  with 
three  teeth  fifteen  inches  long,  pointed,  and  one  foot 
apart,  with  a  short  curved  handle  four  to  five  feet  long 
Starting  with  a  line  for  a  guide,  (which  must  also  be 
used  with  the  machine,)  and  afterwards  following  the 
last  drill  with  one  tooth,  and  sow  by  hand,  from  a 
small  cup,  distributing  the  seed  with  the  thumb  and 
fingers  at  the  same  distances  as  stated  for  the  machine, 
and  much  straighter  and  more  evenly,  but  it  is  a  tedioua 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


19 


process.  In  either  case  it  should  be  most  carefully 
and  regularly  done,  and  on  a  still  day,  or  the  wind  will 
scatter  it  beyond  the  drills.  The  straighter  and  nar- 
rower the  seed  is  sown  in  the  drills,  the  narrower  will 
be  the  space  left  to  weed  after  hoeing.  Radishes  or 
some  quick-growing  seed  may  be  sowed  thinly,  one  or 
two  a^eds  to  a  foot,  to  direct  in  hoeing  the  first  time, 
as  the  onion  tops  are  so  fine  they  can  scarcely  be  seen, 
excepting  when  the  dew  is  on.  The  radishes  may  be 
suffered  to  grow,  and  be  gathered  for  market. 

HOEING. — The  first  hoeing  should  be  commenced 
when  the  rows  can  first  be  distinguished,  with  a  hoe 
eight  inches  long,  made  by  cutting  off  the  back  of  an 
old  grass-scythe,  flattening  the  blade,  and  punching  a 
small  hole  within  three  fourths  of  an  inch  from  each 
end,  without  heating  it,  to  which  a  forked  brace  with 
goose-necks  must  be  riveted  through  the  goose-heads, 
to  attach  it  to  a  light,  long  handle,  usually  that  of  a 
hay-rake.  The  beveled  edge  of  the  plate  should  be 
down,  and  the  heads  of  the  rivets  sunk.  "With  this 
hoe  proceed  to  scrape  once  in  the  middle  between  the 
rows,  with  a  reach  of  two  feet  or  more,  barely  shaving 
off  the  weeds  without  breaking  through  the  crust, 
carrying  along  one  or  more  spaces.  Keep  the  hoe  in 
good  order  by  rubbing  on  a  flat  stone,  or  grinding,  and 
if  it  clogs,  which  it  will  do  on  new-ploughed  ground 
for  two  or  three  years  from  the  sod,  push  it  along  on 
the  ground  as  you  step  forward,  or  clean  with  a  stick. 
The  same  process,  which  is  light  work,  and  quickly 
done,  may  be  repeated  with  advantage  within  a  week, 
but  in  a  fortnight  from  first  hoeing,  or  less,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  weeds,  hoe  again,  only  breaking  up 
the  crust,  say  about  half  an  inch  deep,  loosening  but 
not  moving  the  earth  out  of  place,  in  the  middle  of  the 
spaces  as  before,  or,  which  is  better,  with  two  strokes, 
one  close  to  each  row,  making  nearly  a  double  hoeing, 
which,  if  the  rows  can  be  distinctly  or  readily  seen,  is 
the  best  manner  for  the  first  hoeing. 

WEEDING. — The  weeders,  upon  their  hands  and  knees, 
should  follow  close  upon  the  last  hoeing,  with  onion- 
weeders,  made  from  table  knives  by  breaking  off  the 
blades  to  two  or  two  and  a  half  inches  from  the  han- 
dles, and  heating  the  end  to  bend  it  a  little  to  one  side, 
so  as  to  fit  it  to  the  curve  of  the  thumb,  and  cooling  it 
immediately,  to  return  its  temper.  The  back  should 
then  be  ground  to  an  edge,  and  the  corners  rounded, 
so  as  to  work  it  in  either  hand.  The  weeds  should  be 
cut  off  below  the  crowns  of  their  roots,  say  half  an 
inch  under  ground,  or,  which  is  better,  loosen  the 
ground  two  inches  deep  on  each  side  of  the  row,  by 
drawing  the  knife  or  weeder,  thrust  into  the  ground  to 
the  handle,  and  turned  a  little  sideways  in  the  hand, 
at  a  steep  angle  towards  and  on  one  side  of  the  row, 
and  two  inches  from  it,  and  then  by  changing  hands, 
on  the  other,  when,  if  properly  done,  the  ground  will 
be  loosened,  so  that  the  weeds  can  easily  be  scraped  or 
nulled  out  with  their  roots,  and  then  the  earth  should 
Oe  pressed  back  upon  the  roots  of  the  onions  by  the 


palms  of  the  hands,  to  hold  them  firm,  and  to  prevent 
withering  if  they  have  been  injured.  The  weeds  will 
cause  much  more  injury  to  the  crop  if  not  eradicated, 
than  they  will  suffer  from  cutting  off  the  onion-roots 
two  inches  under  ground,  which  is  not  necessary,  and 
should  be  avoided,  but  may  occasionally  happen. 

In  two  weeks  or  less  they  will  require  another  hoe 
ing  and  weeding  similar  to  the  last,  and  a  fortnight 
after,  hoeing  again,  if  not  weeding.  There  should  be 
no  hilling  or  hauling  away  of  dirt,  but  the  surface 
should  be  kept  level. 

GATHERING. — When  the  tops  die  and  fall',  the  crop 
should  be  pulled  and  spread  evenly  over  the  ground  to 
dry  or  cure.  The  scallions  (thick-necked  or  green 
onions)  with  the  weeds,  if  any,  should  be  thrown  into 
heaps  or  carried  off.  After  three  or  four  days'  drying, 
turn  them  over  carefully  with  the  teeth  of  a  wooden 
rake,  without  bruising,  and  let  them  dry  as  many  days 
more;  or  instead,  as  they  preserve  a  brighter  color, 
put  them  into  heaps  of  two  to  four  bushels,  to  sweat  a 
few  days,  when,  if  intended  for  early  market,  cut  the 
dead  tops  off  one  inch  from  the  bulbs,  and  barrel  to 
send  away;  but  if  wished  for  storing,  they  may  bo 
left  in  heaps  some  weeks,  or  carried  under  cover  on  a 
floor  with  the  tops  on,  and  piled  around  the  sides  of  a 
barn  floor,  three  feet  high,  or  put  into  bins  with  slats 
on  the  sides,  and  not  close,  like  open  horse- stalls,  fill- 
ing every  other  one,  and  putting  strips  of  boards  across 
the  ends  and  through  them,  or  slanting  them  up  so  as 
'not  to  need  supports,  and  leave  all  the  doors  open. 
After  a  week  or  ten  days'  drying  as  above,  put  them 
under  cover  in  any  airy  place,  as  a  shed,  but  watch 
and  examine  every  few  days  to  see  if  they  are  gather- 
ing moisture,  heating  and  growing;  if  so,  open  and 
spread  to  dry  again. 

STORING  FOE  WINTER. — If  the  onions  are  to  be 
kept  upon  a  barn  or  other  floor,  pile  them  one  foot  and 
a  half  or  two  feet  deep,  leaving  a  space  of  one  to  two 
feet  all  around.  Cover  them  with  one  thickness  of 
sheets  to  keep  out  hay-seed,  chaff,  etc.,  and  when  hard 
freezing  weather  sets  in,  cover  one  to  two  feet  deep 
with  hay,  straw,  or  any  similar  substance,  filling  all 
the  spaces  around  the  heap.  Do  not  disturb  them  if 
frozen,  until  the  frost  is  out,  which  may  be  hastened  by 
opening  the  doors  and  removing  a  portion  of  the  cov- 
ering each  day  for  a  week. 

A  wagon  or  wood-house  tightly  boarded,  floored, 
and  fitted  up  with  a  bin  or  bins  as  follows,  is  undoubt- 
edly the  best  place,  and  such  as  one  of  our  oldest 
onion-cultivators,  after  long  and  sad  experience,  has 
adopted  and  used  for  some  years  with  perfect  success. 
Set  up  scantlings  for  a  stall  or  bin,  of  three  to  five 
feet  wide ;  on  these  nail  two  or  three  tiers  of  ten-inch 
boards  two  or  three  inches  apart,  and  as  far  above  the 
floor,  leaving  a  wide  space,  two  to  four  feet  at  each 
end,  to  pass  round,  and  for  free  circulation  of  air.  Thee 
place  every  three  to  four,  feet,  before  the  onions  fill  up, 
on  each  board,  cross-boards  eight  or  ten  inches  wide. 


20 


HOW  TO   TCAISE   ONIONS. 


resting  or.  each  tier  of  side-boards,  with  cleets  on  each 
end,  like  a  wagon-board  for  a  seat — one  or  two  hogs- 
head staves  side  by  side  are  the  cheapest,  if  the  width 
of  the  bin  is  calculated  for  them,  with  similar  strips 
resting  on  these,  in  number  according  to  the  width  of 
the  bin,  about  one  foot  apart,  running  lengthwise — and 
thus  on  each  tier  of  side-boards  as  they  are  filled, 
using  loose  side-boards  for  the  top,  as  high  as  wished 
or  needed.  The  ends  may  be  filled  up,  slanting  so  as 
to  support  themselves,  or  cross-boards  may  be  fitted  in. 
The  spaces  under  the  staves  or  flat  boards  will  effectu- 
ally ventilate  and  prevent  heating.  The  onions  should 
be  well  dried  and  have  their  tops  left  on,  and  when 
first  frozen  be  covered  with  one  or  more  thicknesses  of 
carpets  or  old  garments,  and  have  them  hung  around 
t'heir  sides.  Freezing  does  them  no  apparent  injury,  if 
•<hey  are  thawed  gradually.  When  wished  for  winter's 
sale,  the  temperature  should  not  be  below  freezing, 
nor  much  above  it,  which  will  have  to  be  regulated  by 
stoves,  or  by  moving  them  to  dry  cellars  when  hard 
frost  comes  on. 


To  RAISE  SEED.  — Select  a  piece  of  warm,  rich 
ground,  manure  it  well,  plough  deep,  and  strike  out 
light  furrows  two  feet  and  a  half  apart,  and  set  out, 
six  inches  apart,  well-bottomed  onions,  (no  scallions,} 
remembering  that  "  like  produces  like."  Set  them  in 
the  bottom  of  the  furrows,  and  cover  well.  Till 
the  pround  as  for  potatoes,  with  plough  and  hoe,  ridg- 
ing well,  to  support  the  tops.  In  August,  when  the 
seed-pods  are  half-opened,  gather  by  cutting  off  the 
stalks  just  below  the  tops,  and  spread  them  on  a  cham- 
ber-floor to  4ry,  and  thresh  out  any  tune  when  needed. 
Or,  as  mice  are  very  fond  of  it,  spread  a  few  days  on 
sheets  in  the  s^u,  and  when  dry,  rub  the  seed  out  m 
the  hot  part  of  the  day,  when  it  will  shell  much  more 
easily  than  in  the  cooler  parts,  for  it  rapidly  absorbs  a 
great  deal  of  moisture.  Clean  it  by  stirring  it  in  water ; 
the  good  seed  will  sink  i»  a  few  minutes:  all  the  res* 
should  be  thrown  away  with  the  chaff.  "Pu*;  the  seed 
into  bags,  and  keep  it  in  a  dry  X>!^.CP  cst  <\°  tb« 
of  mice. 


No.  XI. 
BY  H.  WADE,  FLOYD  CO,,  IOWA. 


FIRST  select  the  best  and  brightest-looking  onions, 
tor  seed,  and  plant  them  in  rows  about  two  feet  apart, 
one  foot  in  the  row,  and  when  they  grow  up,  drive 
stakes  and  draw  twine  along,  to  keep  the  heads  in  their 
place,  until  ripe.  Then  cut  them  off  and  tie  in  bunches 
of  about  a  dozen  heads,  and  hang  them  in  a  shed, 
where  the  wind  does  not  blow  very  much,  for  a  time, 
and  then  rub  out  and  spread  thin  for  a  few  days  be- 
fore putting  away  for  winter,  and  thus  good  seed  for 
spring  may  always  be  had. 

Now  for  preparing  the  ground.  I  have  grown 
onions  on  almost  all  kinds  of  soil,  but  the  best  on  a 
sandy  loam.  In  preparing  my  garden,  out  here  in  the 
West,  I  fixed  on  a  place  to  grow  my  onions.  I  dug  it 
two  good  spades  deep  and  mixed  it  as  well  as  I  could. 
The  soil  was  pretty  sandy  and  not  very  rich,  but  very 
dry.  In  the  fall  I  put  on  good  rotten  manure  of  any 
kind  I  could  get,  about  four  inches  thick,  and  let  it  lie 
all  winter,  and  as  soon  as  dry  enough  in  spring,  I  mixed 
(t  altogether  about  eight  inches  deep  with  a  good  four- 
toothed  fork.  (When  I  raised  them  in  fields  I  used  a 
cultivator  for  this  part  of  the  work.)  I  then  let  it  lie  a 
few  days  to  dry,  and  then  dragged  perfectly,  until  four 
inches  of  the  surface  was  all  quite  fine.  I  have  a  marker 
that  marks  four  drills  at  a  time,  one  foot  apart,  about 
one  inch  deep.  A  small  seed-sower  is  best  for  plant- 
ing. Care  must  be  taken  not  to  sow  too  thick,  unless 
you  are  near  a  market  where  you  can  sell  green  onions ; 
then  it  does  not  signify,  as  thinning  loosens  the  soil 


for  what  is  left.  Rake  them  in  lightly,  lengthwise  thd 
rows,  so  as  not  to  get  the  seed  out  of  the  drill ;  then 
with  a  light  hand-roller  go  evenly  over  the  piece  each 
way,  and  leave  it  till  the  onions  make  their  appear- 
ance. In  cultivating,  use  a  light  sharp  tooth-rake, 
head  nine  inches  long,  teeth  one  and  a  half  inches 
apart,  handle  six  feet  long.  It  is  better  than  a  hoe,  as 
you  can  loosen  the  soil  close  to  the  rows  without  cut- 
ting the  roots,  and  if  you  made  a  good  seed-bed,  a 
man  will  do  as  much  again  with  a  rake  as  a  hoe. 
Rake  over  every  week  if  the  weather  permits,  as  soon 
as  it  is  dry  enough  after  a  hard  rain  to  keep  the  top 
from  crusting.  Attend  to  this  at  first  well,  and  you 
will  not  regret  it. 

About  June,  as  soon  as  the  onions  are  up  enough, 
thin  out  to  about  four  inches  in  the  row,  pulling  out  at 
the  same  time  what  few  weeds  are  growing  with  them, 
and  after  that,  you  may  run  the  small  rake  between 
the  rows  occasionally.  Onions  may  always  be  on  one 
spot  in  a  garden,  but  you  must  manure  pretty  well 
every  fall,  after  the  ground  has  been  dug.  Once  in 
two  years  dig  two  spades  deep ;  and  if  a  stiff  clay  soil, 
put  stones  or  something  at  the  bottom,  for  an  under- 
drain.  Good  well-rotted  barnyard  manure  is  as  good 
as  any  to  manure  with.  I  have  grown  them  three 
years  in  one  place,  and  last  year  I  had  the  best  and 
handsomest  I  ever  saw.  You  could  hardly  teU  one 
from  the  other. 

When  the  tops  begin  to  fall  down,  I  go  over  them 


EXPERIENCE    OP   PRAOTICAL   GBOWERS. 


21 


and  press  them  all  gently  down  with  a  rake-head,  or 
something  of  that  sort,  and  as  soon  as  the  roots  let  go 
of  the  soil,  I  use  a  wooden-toothed  rake  and  turn  them 
over,  if  it  is  likely  to  be  fine  a  day  or  two,  and  then 
pick  them  up  and  carry  them  to  a  shed  or  barn-floor, 
and  lay  them  out  thin,  till  perfectly  dry.  After  this,  a 
good  dry  cellar  I  believe  is  the  best  place  to  keep  them. 


They  told  me  in  Illinois  when  I  left,  that  I  could  not 
grow  onions  in  Iowa  as  I  did  there,  but  I  find  I  can; 
and  I  oelieve  better ;  but  I  have  not  begun  to  grow 
them  in  the  field  yet,  as  we  have  no  market  for  them. 
They  pay  well  if  you  have  a  market,  if  you  manure 
well,  and  care  for  them  as  you  should. 


No.  XII. 


BY  J.  B.  WAKEMAN,  FAIRFIELD  CO,,  CT. 


IT  is  over  twenty-five  years  since  I  raised  my  first 
crop  of  onions.  I  commenced  with  two  rods  of  ground, 
and  have  increased  to  eight  acres.  There  is  but  one 
place  in  the  United  States  where  more  onions  are 
raised  than  here ;  that  is  in  Danvers,  Mass.,  where  it 
has  been  stated  they  raise  more  than  200,000  bushels 
a  year.  But  New- York  market  is  mostly  supplied 
from  this  section.  It  would  be  rather  a  low  estimate 
to  place  the  yield  of  this  town  at  140,000  bushels  a 
vear.  Great  crops  were  formerly  raised  in  "Wethers- 
field,  but  of  au  inferior  quality,  rather  small,  and  sent 
to  market  in  bunches. 

I  think  I  can  say,  from  the  time  that  I  first  com- 
menced raising  onions,  up  to  the  present  time,  I 
have  raised  more  bushels  to  the  acre  than  any  other 
person  about  here.  The  first  and  most  important  item 
is  the  seed.  It  is  very  important  to  know  what  kind 
of  onions  it  was  raised  from.  In  other  crops  we  can 
generally  tell  by  the  looks  of  the  seed,  whether  it  is 
good  or  not.  Not  so  with  onions.  It  is  impossible  to 
tell  by  the  looks  of  the  seed  whether  it  will  raise 
scallions,  or  the  flat  onion,  or  the  round  deep  onion, 
which  is  mostly  raised  in  this  section.  There  was  a 
great  deal  of  seed  bought  in  New- York  last  year,  by 
the  farmers  near  here,  which  raised  mostly  scallions 
without  bottoms.  It  has  been  estimated  by  many  that 
it  was  a  loss  to  them  of  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand 
dollars.  It  would  be  some  satisfaction  to  know  from 
what  kind  of  onions  it  was  raised.  I  think  it  must  be 
onions  that  were  grown  on  a  poor  soil,  and  were  not  fit 
for  market,  but  left  until  the  next  year  for  seed. 

I  raised  the  flat  onion  when  I  first  commenced  the 
business.  They  will  not  yield  one  third  as  much  as 
the  round  onion ;  so  we  can  not  judge  what  the  result 
will  be  if  we  do  not  know  what  kind  of  onions  our 
seed  was  raised  from.  We  have,  by  selecting  the 
large  round  deep  onion  from  year  to  year,  improved 
o\ir  quality  and  quantity,  so  that  we  raise  six  to  nine 
hundred  bushels  where  we  once  raised  not  more  than 
three  to  five  hundred  bushels.  "We  select  the  most 
solid,  largest,  deepest,  and  brightest  for  seed.  Seed- 
onions  should  be  kept  from  freezing.  A  light  freezing 
will  sometimes  injure  the  chit  or  germ. 

The  best  ground  for  raising  them  is  level  land  with 


a  deep  soil,  free  from  stones.  But  I  have  raised  them 
successfully  on  gravelly  soil  and  quite  stony.  I  pre- 
fer, however,  a  deep  loamy  soil.  I  would  plant  the 
ground  with  corn  or  potatoes — I  prefer  corn — one  or 
two  years.  It  should  be  highly  manured,  and  not  a 
single  weed  allowed  to  go  to  seed.  "When  the  corn- 
crop  is  gathered,  prepare  the  ground  in  the  fall  for  the 
next  year's  crop  of  onions,  by  putting  on  twenty  cart- 
loads of  well-rotted  manure,  fifty  bushels  to  the  load,  per 
acre.  It  should  be  free  from  weed-seed,  and  ploughed 
in  deep,  and  not  harrowed  in  the  fall.  I  have 
ploughed  my  ground  both  spring  and  fall,  manuring  at 
the  same  time.  It  is  not  more  than  half  the  work  to 
prepare  ground  for  the  seed,  that  was  ploughed  in  the 
.fall,  and  the  yield  is  as  good,  if  not  better  Hog- 
manure  is  the  best,  but  any  kind  of  strong  manure 
will  do.  All  manure  should  be  free  from  seed. 
Manure,  either  fine  or  coarse,  should  be  ploughed 
in  deep.  If  ashes  are  to  be  had,  put  on  one  to 
two  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre.  The  crop  of  onions 
will  pay  for  them  the  first  year,  and  they  will  last  from 
five  to  eight  years.  Bone  dust  is  a  fine  manure.  The 
ground  in  the  spring  should  be  prepared  for  the  seed 
as  soon  as  it  is  dry,  by  harrowing  with  tooth  and  brush, 
until  the  ground  is  level.  It  will  not  do  to  have  the 
ground  too  mellow.  It  should  be  rather  hard  to  have 
the  onions  bottom  well.  It  needs  to  be  very  mellow, 
about  an  inch  deep,  and  raked  off"  level.  It  requires 
from  three  to  four  pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre.  I  sow 
them  by  a  machine  made  very  simple,  and  costing  from 
two  to  four  dollars.  It  sows  two  rows  at  once,  twelve 
inches  apart,  the  wheels  being  six  inches  from  the 
hoppers  that  drop  the  seed.  The  first  row  must  bo 
perfectly  straight,  which  will  be  a  guide  to  the  second, 
and  so  on.  To  cover  them  up,  I  take  a  hoe  that  stands 
in  well,  and  push  it  along  over  the  line  where  the  seed 
is.  "When  they  get  up  so  that  I  can  see  the  rows,  I 
commence  hoeing  them,  and  as  soon  as  there  are  any 
weeds  to  be  seen,  weed  them ;  and  continue  to  hoe 
and  weed  as  long  as  there  is  a  weed  to  be  seen.  It 
will  not  pay  to  sow  a  piece  of  onions  if  they  are  not 
taken  care  of,  and  no  crop  pays  better  if  well  tended. 
There  are  some  farmers  that  lose  one  third  or  more  of 
their  crop  by  not  taking  proper  care  of  them,  and  let* 


22 


HOW   TO   EAISE    ONIONS 


ting  vie  weeds  grow  after  the  onions  have  attained  some 
size.  If  one  intends  to  raise  them  year  after  year  on 
the  same  piece  of  ground,  (and  they  will  grow  as  well 
by  heavy  manuring  as  they  did  the  first  year,)  he  must 
not  let  a  single  weed  go  to  seed. 

If  the  right  kind  of  seed  and  plenty  of  manure  are 
used,  and  the  ground  cultivated  as  it  ought  to  be,  we 
may  expect  from  five  to  eight  hundred  bushels  to  the 
acre.  If  the  ground  is  free  from  weeds  as  it  should  be, 
when  the  crop  is  gathered  in,  so  much  the  better  for 
the  next  year's  crop.  "When  most  of  the  onions  get 
ripe,  I  let  them  dry  one  or  two  days,  and  when  dry 
rake  them  in  windrows,  and  when  little  damp,  either 
at  night  or  morning,  pile  them  up  in  small  heaps, 
and  let  them  stand  till  they  have  no  moisture  in  the 
top.  When  it  comes  a  drying  day,  spread  them  out, 
and  when  perfectly  dry,  cart  them  in.  They  can  be 
kept  from  two  to  six  feet  thick  if  they  are  well  cured, 
and  put  where  the  air  can  circulate  around  them,  till 
very  cold  weather,  and  then  they  must  be  kept  from 
being  frozen  too  much. 

It  seemed  to  me  the  hardest  work  that  I  had  ever 
done,  to  weed  the  first  piece  I  planted,  and  it  cost  more 


to  cultivate  my  first  two  rods  of  ground,  than  it  has  ao 
acre  since,  owing  to  the  ground  being  full  of  foul  seeu. 
Onions  are  the  most  profitable  crop  that  a  farmer 
can  raise,  and  the  quantity  has  been  increased  from 
three  hundred  to  nine  hundred  bushels  per  acre,  and  I 
think  one  thousand  bushels  or  more  can  be  grown  by 
proper  cultivation.  Red  onions  are  now  wholesaling 
at  three  dollars  per  barrel,  and  white  ones  at  four  dol 
lars  per  barrel.  One  year  I  sold  my  onions  at  one  dol- 
lar a  bushel,  and  sent  them  to  market  in  the  fall  be- 
fore housing.  I  have  sold  red  onions  as  high  as  five 
dollars  a  barrel,  and  white  ones  at  six  dollars.  There 
has  been  no  time  within  twelve  years,  but  that  onions 
would  bring  two  dollars  a  barrel  in  the  course  of  the 
year.  There  is  one  thing  that  farmers  have  to  com- 
plain of,  and  that  is,  it  costs  us  so  much  before  the 
onions  get  into  the  consumers'  hands.  It  costs  us 
about  twenty  cents  a  barrel  to  send  them  to  New- York, 
and  they  are  sold  to  wholesale  dealers,  who  make 
from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents  a  barrel,  and  so  it  cosls 
us  from  sixty  cents  to  one  dollar  per  barrel  before  they 
get  into  the  consumers'  hands. 


No.  XIII. 


BY  LOUIS  STRADER,  GREEN  CO.,  KY. 


POTATO  ONIONS  are  the  only  variety  much  cultivat- 
ed in  the  G-reen  river  country.  They  are  a  very  pro- 
lific, mild,  and  well-flavored  vegetable.  The  sets  grow 
from  the  roots,  numbering  from  four  to  fifteen  from  each 
onion,  and  are  much  larger  than  the  sets  from  the  red 
onions;  they  are  not  quite  so  hardy,  however. 

Select  the  largest  and  best-shaped  sets  to  raise  from. 
They  attain  their  full  size  the  first  year  after  planting. 
To  raise  the  seta,  select  large,  sound,  and  well-formed 
onions. 

PLANTING,  CULTIVATION,  ETC. — I  much  prefer  plant- 
ing in  the  fall ;  ihey  come  mach  earlier,  the  yield  is 
larger,  and  they  are  safer  in  the  ground  after  planting 
than  elsewhere  through  the  winter.  Plant  about  the 
middle  of  October  for  this  latitude,  earlier  further 
north,  and  later  as  you  go  south.  Select  a  situation 
gently  sloping  to  the  south,  a  rich,  dry,  loamy  soil, 
nighly  manured  with  well-rotted  stable-manure.  Plough 
or  spade  up  the  land  some  nine  inches  deep,  when  the 
ground  is  in  good  working  condition.  Avoid  working 
the  land  when  too  wet,  as  it  causes  it  to  bake,  which 
is  a  great  drawback  to  the  growth  of  onions.  Pulver- 
ize the  soil  thoroughly  with  a  hand-rake,  by  drawing 
it  back  and  forth  until  all  the  clods  are  broken  fine. 
Cut  two  sticks  18  inches  long,  and  tie  one  to  each  end 
of  a  line,  which  should  be  as  long  as  the  piece  of 
ground  intended  for  planting,  and  with  it  mark  off  the 


ground  in  rows  18  inches  asunder,  using  the  sticks  at 
each  end  of  the  line  as  a  measure,  sticking  them  down 
to  hold  the  line  well  stretched.  Scrape  out  the  drills 
by  the  side  of  the  rope  deep  enough  to  hold  the  onions, 
so  that  the  top  may  be  even  with  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  Then  place  the  large  onions  in  the  drills  nine 
inches  from  each  other,  and  the  sets  six  inches  from 
centre  to  centre,  and  fill  up  the  drill  with  well-rotted 
stable-manure.  Next,  draw  up  the  fine  earth  so  as  to 
make  the  drill  in  a  ridge,  in  order  to  protect  the  onions 
from  too  much  freezing.  This  ridge  should  be  scraped 
off  in  the  spring,  when  they  begin  to  grow. 

If  the  fall  should  be  favorable,  they  will  soon  come 
up  ;  they  should  be  covered  up  before  hard  weather 
sets  in,  with  corn-stalks,  hay,  or  something  of  the  sort, 
to  protect  them  during  winrer. 

They  should  be  uncovered  in  the  spring  after  the 
ground  ceases  to  freeze.  After  this,  they  should  be 
well  worked  with  a  hoe  once  a  week,  until  they  are 
fully  grown,  taking  care  not  to  disturb  the  roots  too 
much.  About  this  time  the  earth  should  be  scraped 
from  them,  to  uncover  the  top  of  the  onions,  that  they 
may  be  exposed  to  the  sun,  which  will  ripen  them. 
The  earth  should  not  be  scraped  from  them  until  somo 
of  the  tops  begin  to  fall  over  on  the  ground.  Let 
them  remain  in  this  condition  until  the  tops  are  dead 
and  nearly  dry.  They  should  then  be  pulled  up,  and 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


tied  in  bunches,  and  hung  up  in  an  open  shed,  until 
thoroughly  seasoned ;  or  if  the  crop  is  large,  they  may 
be  spread  thin  in  an  open  left,  until  seasoned,  when 
they  may  be  barrelled  up  and  sent  to  market. 

The  above  mode  of  cultivation  applies  to  sets  as 
well  as  to  the  grown  onion?.  The  sets  should  be 
taken  up  and  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  large 
onions.  If  they  are  not  planted  in  the  fall,  they 
should  be  planted  in  the  spring  as  early  as  the  ground 
will  bear  working,  observing  the  same  directions  as  in 
fall  planting ;  omitting  the  covering  of  them.  In  the 
northern  and  middle  parts  of  the  United  States,  sets, 
and  other  onions  designed  for  planting,  should  be  kept 
in  a  warm  and  dry  cellar,  boxed  up  and  mixed  with 


dry  dirt — that  is,  when  they  are  not  planted  in  the 
fall. 

RED  ONIONS  are  not  so  prolific,  are  very  strong  and 
highly  scented,  but  are  hardy,  <md  keep  well  through 
the  winter.  The  sets  grow  on  the  topv  and  have  to  be 
well  propped  up  before  they  ripen,  or  they  will  fall 
down  and  rot  in  wet  weather.  The  same  mode  of 
cultivation  is  to  be  observed  with  these,  as  laid  down 
for  the  potato  onion. 

SHALLOTS  are  a  small  variety,  which  grow  in  large 
bunches.  The  roots  resemble  garlic,  but  are  much 
larger.  They  have  nearly  gone  out  of  use  in  this 
region.  Their  cultivation  is  about  the  same  as  already 
laid  down  for  the  other  varieties. 


No.  XIV. 


BY  R.  I,  PLYMOUTH  CO.,  MASS. 


WITH  the  onion-grower,  soil  and  position  are  the  first 
and  by  no  means  the  least  important.  You  can  make 
them  grow  on  almost  any  soil  under  favorable  circum- 
stances, but  to  cultivate  successfully,  which  is  the 
great  object,  it  is  necessary  that  the  soil  should  partake 
largely  of  vegetable  deposit,  be  mellow,  free  from  small 
stones,  and  lie  as  near  level  as  you  can  have  it,  so  as 
to  prevent  copious  showers  from  washing  out  the  seed 
—  which  I  have  known  occur  on  slightly-inclined 
grades. 

When  the  spot  has  been  selected,  put  in  your  plough 
a  foot  to  sixteen  inches  deep,  in  the  fall,  giving  the 
frost  an  opportunity  to  operate  for  you  in  pulverizing 
or  fining  up  your  soil,  which  is  very  necessary,  as  I 
have  found  in  the  course  of  many  years'  experience. 
As  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  in  the  spring,  don't  lose  a 
s'ngle  day  after  the  soil  is  sufficiently  dry  to  work — 
put  in  the  plough  not  over  four  or  five  inches  deep, 
haul  on  your  dressing,  and  harrow  in  until  it  is  fully 
mixed  with  the  soil. 

I  will  here  insert  a  bit  of  my  experience.  At  the 
outset  of  my  onion-cultivation,  I  had  a  man  in  my 
employ  whose  father  owned  the  farm  previous  to  my 
coming  into  possession.  He  was  positive  I  could  not 
raise  onions  on  that  place,  as  all  his  ancestors  had 
failed,  after  repeated  trials  in  most  favored  localities, 
and  utmost  care  throughout.  Deciding  to  try  for 
myself,  I  directed  him  to  plough  a  garden,  part  of  it  for 
onions,  only  a  few  inches  deep.  On  examining  the 
piece,  and  inquiring  of  him,  I  found  the  whole 
ploughed  as  deep  as  the  plough  would  run,  giving  as 
reason  that  it  could  be  spaded  up  easier.  I  had  two 
tons  of  stones  loaded  upon  a  wide-felloed  cart,  and 
driven  over  the  piece  until  it  was  thoroughly  packed 
down,  put  on  the  dressing,  and  worked  it  in  with  a 


horse-cultivator,  planted  eleven  by  eleven  inches  apart, 
kept  well  stirred  through  the  season,  and  for  my  labor 
had  forty-seven  bushels  and  three  pecks  of  onions,  from 
seven  and  a  half  rods  of  ground,  or  at  the  rate  of  a  thou- 
sand bushels  per  acre.  If  you  plough  or  work  your  soil 
deep,  the  roots  will  consequently  strike  deep,  and  hold 
on  so  as  to  afford  you  a  bountiful  crop  of  bull-necks,  or 
scallions,  as  my  boys  call  them.  I  think  this  the 
cause  of  the  failure  of  most  persons  who  are  not  suc- 
cessful. I  have  found  in  cases  of  mildew  that  have 
come  under  my  observation,  that  those  portions  of  the 
field  were  the  most  affected  where  the  soil  was  the 
most  mellow. 

The  quality  of  dressing  used  is  quite  important,  and 
the  experience  of  those  who  have  been  in  the  business 
is  of  some  value.  For  the  region  round  Naragansett 
Bay,  K.  I.r  the  cultivators  of  onions  prefer  a  compost 
of  strong  hog-pen  manure  to  any  other.  It  should  be 
well  pulverized  in  the  field,  where  it  is  necessary  to 
have  it  incorporated  with  the  soil  in  as  fine  a  state  as 
possible,  which  will  save  much  after-labor.  Do  the 
best  you  can,  you  will  find  enough  refuse  stuff  to  rake 
off.  You  need  not  fear  doing  this  part  of  the  job  too 
well.  Some  apply  good  fine  sea-weed  in  the  fall,  and 
plough  in;  others  use  fish,  but  these,  as  a  .general 
thing,  are  not  obtainable,  however  valuable.  If  your 
soil  is  rich,  a  yearly  application  of  fifteen  cords  of  hog- 
pen manure  per  acre  will  keep  your  piece  producing 
indefinitely,  as  onions,  unlike  most  other  crops,  im- 
prove or  increase  in  product  by  replanting  the  same 
spot  continuous  years.  There  seems  to  be  something 
valuable  in  the  tops,  leaves,  roots,  etc.,  left  after  a  crop 
is  taken  off,  that  is  of  service  to  the  growth  of  a  suc- 
ceeding one. 

A  few  years  since,  I  used  four  hundred  pounds  o/ 


24 


HOW  TO   EAI8E   ONIONS. 


Peruvian  guano  on  one  hundred  rods  of  ground,  where 
corn  had  been  raised  the  previous  season.  From  this 
piece  I,  or  rather  my  boys,  one  ten,  and  the  other  not 
twelve,  took  four  hundred  bushels  of  onions.  These 
were  planted  Ilx5£  inches.  Whether  like  satisfactory 
results  could  have  been  obtained  by  repeating  the  ex- 
periment, I  can  not  say,  as  I  have  not  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  testing  the  matter  since.  After  your  dress- 
ing is  properly  worked  in,  and  ground  well  raked  over, 
you  are  ready  for  planting,  which  is  done  in  various 
ways,  according  to  the  fancy  or  necessity  of  those  who 
cultivate  this  crop.  If  you  are  purposing  to  bunch, 
you  want  more  seed  in  the  hills  than  if  intended  for 
barreling,  or  selling  by  the  bushel  The  same  is  the 
case  if  you  wish  to  obtain  large-sized  tubers,  without 
so  much  regard  for  quantity.  For  a  number  of  years, 
(thirteen  I  believe,)  I  planted  a  piece  containing  one 
hundred  and  sixty-six  rods,  11x11  inches  each  way, 
calculating  for  six  or  eight  seeds  in  a  place,  with  satis- 
factory results  as  to  crop  Unless  the  soil  is  very  easily 
worked,  and  comparatively  clear  from  weeds,  I  would 
not,  for  field-culture,  recommend  any  thicker  planting, 
as  the  fingers  have  to  do  the  work  of  a  hoe,  which 
is  fatiguing,  and  also  requires  much  time. 

I  have  planted  11x5  £  inches  on  clean  land,  but 
somehow  did  not  find  my  interest  in  doing  it,  as  more 
seed  and  more  time  was  required  in  after  cultivation, 
and  not  a  satisfactory  increase  of  crop.  I  have  drilled 
with  seed-drills  in  continuous  rows  ten  inches  asunder, 
plants  within  an  inch  or  two.  Time  is  saved  in  plant- 
ing, but  I  like  the  old  method  of  putting  down  with 
the  fingers,  unless  you  have  a  very  favorable  piece  for 
drilling  in.  I  have  dropped  three  fifths  of  an  acre  in  a 
day,  and  have  known  those  accustomed  to  it  to  drop 
an  acre.  Experiments  will  soon  decide  which  method 
is  best.  If  your  soil  is  weedy,  I  would  recommend 
covering  seed  with  sand,  unless  the  soil  is  already  too 
sandy.  A  table  spoonful  of  white  sand  marks  the 
hill,  and  you  can  work  the  earth  sooner  than  if  not 
sanded,  and  again,  the  seed  will  germinate  quicker, 
getting  start  of  the  weeds.  Quite  a  number  of 
varieties  of  the  onion  present  themselves  from  which 
to  make  a  selection,  only  a  few  of  which  I  can  speak 
of  from  experience.  For  field  culture  for  distant 
markets,  the  R  I.  red  or  "Weathersfield  onion  is  con- 
sidered decidedly  the  best,  as  it  yields  as  well  as  any, 
and  keeps  decidedly  the  best,  which  is  one  great  item 
of  value,  as  all  will  testify  who  have  dealt  in  the 
article.  The  Danvers  onion,  a  yellow  variety,  is  quite 
popular  among  growers  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  and 
they  claim  for  it  superior  flavor  as  well  as  good  keep- 
ing qualities ;  yet  I  could  never  have  them  as  sound 
in  spring  as  the  red  onion.  The  white  or  silver-skin 
onion  is  a  favorite  with  marketmen  and  consumers, 
from  their  being  nice-looking,  and  of  superior  flavor — 
not  so  strong  as  the  red.  A  serious  objection  to  these 
id  their  liability  to  decay  and  the  necessity,  of  course, 


for  a  ready  market  and  quick  consumption.  The  three 
varieties  I  have  named  are  all  sufficient  for  you  to 
select  from,  according  as  your  market  may  require. 

As  soon  as  your  onions  show  themselves  above  the 
surface,  commence  hoeing  and  weeding,  as  the  weed,* 
will  surely  give  you  great  trouble  if  you  do  not 
Don't  allow  a  weed  in  the  hill  if  you  wish  for  success 
The  frequency  of  going  over  your  fields  will  depend 
upon  the  rains  and  foulness  of  your  soil — you  may  fix 
it  in  your  mind  that  you  can  not  stir  the  soil  too  often. 
Leisure  moments  can  be  profitably  spent  on  an  onion- 
bed. 

The  time  of  gathering  the  crop  is  important,  and  re- 
quires good  judgment  as  well  as  experience.  Portions 
of  the  hills  as  well  as  portions  of  the  field  will  ripen 
earlier  than  others.  I  the  first  ripe  are  suffered  to 
remain  until  the  others  that  are  not  ripe  are  dead,  the 
first  will  have  sent  out  new  roots,  which  disfigure 
them  much,  and  the  interior  of  the  onion  will  com- 
mence growing  again,  and  send  up  sprouts  if  time 
enough  is  allowed ;  if  not,  these  are  the  first  to  sprout 
and  rot,  when  gathered  in.  I  keep  a  good  watch  of 
my  crop,  and  as  soon  as  the  first  indications  of  a  second- 
growth  are  manifest,  I  pull  all  up  and  lay  in  rows  for 
curing  and  topping.  They  should  remain  on  the 
ground  until  the  tops  are  all  dead,  (except  the  bull- 
necks,)  before  topping,  as  they  are  much  more  liable  to 
sprout  and  rot,  if  cut  while  the  tops  have  sap  in  them. 

It  is  found  economical  in  pulling  to  lay  three  rowa 
or  drills  together  upon  the  middle  row,  roots  up  from 
the  ground  as  much  as  possible,  with  the  alternate  rows 
reversed  thus : 

66666666 
?9?????? 

so  that  when  you  commence  topping,  you  take  the 
onion  in  your  left  hand,  which  will  bring  the  top  in 
place  for  the  knife  or  sheep-shears,  (which  are  often 
used,)  and  the  onion  dropped  in  the  space  between 
the  two  rows,  thus  bringing  six  rows  or  drills  into 
one.  If  any  weeds  are  on  the  ground  previous  to 
topping,  hoe  them  up  in  spaces  where  your  onions  are 
to  lay,  rake  all  off  clean,  for  you  may  have  to  stir  up 
your  onions  several  times  previous  to  getting  in, 
which  can  be  quickly  done  with  a  rake,  if  no  weeds 
are  in  the  way.  Cut  the  tops  about  three  inches  long 
for  bunching,  and  one  inch  for  barreling.  Cutting 
any  shorter  than  this,  increases  the  chances  of  decay. 
Many  shippers  prefer  having  tops  two  inches  long,  and 
all  the  refuse  leaves  also,  if  perfectly  dry,  as  on  board  of 
vessel  and  in  confined  places  they  sweat  freely,  and 
the  tops  and  dry  leaves  absorb  a  large  quantity  oi 
moisture,  and  thus  in  a  measure  prevent  heating  and 
decay.  If  you  have  not  a  ready  sale  for  your  crop, 
and  find  you  must  store  them  for  a  time,  don't  put 
them  in  the  cellar,  but  into  some  dry  room  above 
ground,  that  will  allow  you  to  spread  them,  not  over 
two  and  a  half  feet  deep,  and  as  much  less  as  you  can 


EXPERIENCE   OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


During  the  cold  winter  of  1856-57,  I  kept  two 
hundred  bushels  of  onions  in  a  wood-house,  that  was 
covered  with  matched  boards.  On  the  inside  of  stud- 
ding I  tacked  up  some  old  boards,  and  filled  the  space 
between  them  and  outside  of  building  with  salt  hay, 
not  to  prevent  freezing,  but  to  avoid  sudden  thawing. 
I  covered  the  onions  with  old  pieces  of  carpets,  bags, 
etc.  They  remained  until  some  time  in  April,  when  I 
took  them  to  market  as  sound  as  when  put  in,  not 
losing  more  than  a  bushel.  Never  allow  them  to  be 
stirred  until  you  are  sure  the  frost  is  out,  for  it  will 
surely  ruin  them.  Neither  uncover  in  the  least,  until 
they  are  entirely  free  from  frost. 

I  may  as  well  suggest  here  the  propriety  of  every 
onion-grower  raising  his  own  seed — --as  good  seed  is 
all  important  to  success,  and  you  can  not  be  sure  of 
getting  it  from  seed  men.  In  selecting  onions  for  seed, 
take  medium-sized,  round,  or  deep  ones,  and  by  per- 
sisting in  this  practice,  you  will  find  that  your  onions 
will  more  and  more  partake  of  this  character,  weigh 
more  and  keep  better  than  the  flat  or  oval-shaped. 
Onions  are  required  by  law  to  weigh  fifty-six  pounds 
to  the  bushel,  and  flat  saucer-shaped  ones  will  not 
come  up  to  tho  standard. 

If  you  wish  to  have  early  onions  for  marketing,  sow 
in  September,  cover  the  bed,  when  the  frost  first  hard- 
ens the  ground,  with  sea-weed,  or  any  other  non-con- 
ductor, to  prevent  thawing  in  winter,  uncover  in 
spring,  as  soon  as  you  find  the  frost  out,  and  you  have 
onions  with  two  months  the  start  of  those  put  in,  in 
the  spring. 

There  is  a  variety  called  Potato  Onion,  that  is  early 
and  much  used  by  market-gardeners.  They  grow 
from  planting  the  tuber,  attaching  themselves  around 


the  one  planted.     I  have  had  marvelous  increase  from 
this  variety. 

Aa  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  a  beginner,  I  will 
state  the  result  of  my  experience  in  cultivating  onions 
for  successive  years.  In  1836, 1  took  up  a  piece  for 
onions  containing  an  acre  and  six  rods.  Soil  good, 
some  weeds,  and  some  small  stones  to  be  worked  out. 
I  planted  this  piece  over  a  dozen  years,  drilling  11x11 
inches  all  the  time.  My  smallest  crop  was  357 
bushels,  and  my  largest  723  bushels,  and  no  season 
under  500  bushels,  except  the  one  I  have  named  aa 
the  least,  which  was  a  very  wet  season,  and  the  crop 
scalded  or  mildewed.  The  season  I  obtained  the  723 
bushels,  a  friend  of  mine  had  over  1700  bushels  from 
two  acres,  which  he  planted  in  drills  Ilx5|  inches* 
These  crops  were  unusually  large.  I  also  kept  an  ac- 
count of  expenses  on  crop  up  to  time  of  sale.  In  this 
account  I  charged  the  crops  with  every  item  of  ex- 
pense, interest  on  land,  dressing,  labor,  tools,  etc.,  etc., 
and  found  that  I  could  raise  onions  for  about  17  cents 
per  bushel.  Some  seasons  they  cost  me  more,  others 
less,  according  to  yield  of  crop,  or  extra  amount  of 
labor  to  keep  clean  in  wet  seasons.  They  never  cost 
me  over  twenty,  nor  under  thirteen  cents  per  bushel. 
Aa  to  price  obtained,  I  am  not  so  well  able  to  state, 
aa  I  often  sold  in  different  places,  and  at  different 
times,  and  account  of  sales  going  in  with  other  arti- 
cles. I  never  sold  a  crop,  however,  under  thirty-one 
cents,  and  have  often  sold  for  a  dollar  per  bushel. 
The  papers  report  at  this  time  onions  in  New-York  at 
two  dollars  and  a  half  per  barrel. — From  the  above 
statement,  the  conclusion  is  reached,  that  I  have  found 
the  cultivation  of  onions  profitable,  and  that  any  one 
may  do  the  same  under  favorable  circumstances. 


No.  XV. 
BY  SAMUEL  BOTJTON,  FAIRFIELD  CO.,  CT. 


VARIETIES. — Onions  will  grow  on  almost  any  soil 
that  is  not  too  dr7.  The  kind  of  oniona  which  can  be 
raised  with  the  most  advantage  will  depend  on  the 
time  when  it  is  designed  to  market  the  crop.  If  in- 
tended for  winter,  the  variety  known  as  the  black 
onion,  will  be  found  the  best,  as  they  are  very  solid 
and  firm,  and  their  keeping  qualities  can  not  be  sur- 
passed. If  for  a  fall  market,  that  variety  known  as 
the  Wethersfield  Red  is  better,  as  the  yield  will  be  some- 
what greater,  and  they  will  be  ripe  a  few  days  earlier. 
If  for  an  early  market,  potato  onions  should  be  raised. 
The  advantages  of  the  potato  onion  over  the  other 
Kind,  are,  first,  an  early  market  and  the  use  of  the 
ground  for  some  other  crop,  after  they  are  off;  and 
second,  a  high  price,  and  one  third  less  labor  in  their 
cultivation.  The  disadvantages  are,  first,  a  great  out- 


lay is  required  for  seed ;  and  second,  it  is  difficult  to 
keep  the  seed  during  the  winter.  I  would  not  recom- 
mend them  for  field  cultivation,  unless  on  a  small 
scale.  As  the  mode  of  cultivation  for  these  different 
kinds  is  essentially  the  same,  one  description  will 
answer  for  the  whole. 

SEED. — The  seed  should  be  procured  of  some 
reliable  seed-grower,  if  possible  out  of  the  immediate 
neighborhood,  as  seed  brought  from  a  distance  will  do 
better  than  that  which  is  grown  on  the  ground,  where 
the  crop  is  to  be  raised.  If  this  can  not  be  done,  the 
seed  may  be  raised  on  the  spot.  Sound,  firm  roota 
should  be  selected  for  seed.  They  should  be  put  in 
the  ground  as  soon  as  the  frost  is  out.  -They  should  be 
set  in  rows,  twelve  inches  apart  one  way,  by  about 
six  the  other.  Light  poles  or  twine  may  be  rur 


HOW   TO   RAISE    ONIONS. 


through  the  rows  to  support  the  stalks,  otherwise  they 
will  be  liable  to  be  blown  down  by  high  winds,  which 
will  injure  the  seed.  The  seed  should  be  gathered 
when  fully  ripe.  It  may  be  separated  from  the  husk 
by  rubbing  between  a  good  pair  of  leather  mittens,  or, 
if  the  quantity  is  large,  it  may  be  threshed  by  the  flail. 
The  dust  may  now  be  separated  by  the  fan.  The  seed 
should  then  be  put  into  water  sufficient  to  cover  it, 
when  the  blasted,  if  any,  will  swim.  These'  should  be 
thrown  away ;  the  remainder  may  be  carefully  dried 
and  put  up  for  use. 

Care  should  be  taken  in  selecting  seed,  to  procure 
a  good  article,  as  this  is  the  rock  on  which  the  hopes 
of  the  cultivator  are  frequently  shipwrecked.  If  the 
seed  be  shrunk,  scallions  may  be  the  only  product. 
Old  seed  is  not  so  likely  to  grow  as  new,  but  if  it 
must  be  planted,  it  should  be  soaked  a  few  hours  in 
water.  They  should  be  planted  as  soon  as  the  ground 
is  sufficiently  dry.  The  middle  or  latter  part  of  April 
is  in  this  latitude  about  the  time.  A  late  crop  is  more 
dependent  on  the  weather  than  an  early -one.  If  the 
planting  is  delayed  till  the  middle  of  May,  a  crop  of 
scallions  may  be  the  only  product. 

MANURE. — The  best  manure  for  onions,  is  night-soil. 
Twenty  loads,  of  twenty-five  bushels  each,  will  do  for 
an  acre  of  ground.  If  this  can  not  be  had,  something 
from  the  hog-pen,  at  the  rate  of  thirty  loads  to  the 
acre,  will  be  found  an  excellent  manure.  If  the 
ground  is  heavy  and  clayey,  a  compost  may  be  made 
of  unfermented  horse-manure  and  muck.  It  may 
be  put  together  in  about  equal  quantities,  and  should 
be  placed  in  alternate  layers,  first  a  layer  of  manure, 
three  or  four  inches  thick,  spread  on  the  ground,  then 
a  coat  of  muck,  about  the  same  thickness,  and  proceed 
in  this  way,  till  the  whole  is  finished.  The  heat  aris- 
ing from  the  manure  will  rapidly  decompose  the  muck, 
while  the  muck  will  retain  the  ammonia  arising  from 
the  manure,  and  thus  both  will  be  improved.  In 
about  six  weeks  it  will  be  fit  for  use.  Thirty  loads 
to  the  acre  will  be  a  good  dressing. 

If  the  ground  is  sandy  and  gravelly,  a  compost 
should  be  made  of  muck  and  unleached  wood-ashes, 
at  the  rate  of  about  half  a  bushel  of  ashes  for  twenty- 
five  bushels  of  muck ;  it  should  be  placed  in  alternate 
layers.  In  two  or  three  months  it  will  be  fit  for  use. 
If  it  should  be  shoveled  over  once  or  twice,  it  will  be 
improved :  forty  loads  will  be  sufficient  for  an  acre.  If 
none  of  these  can  be  had,  fine  well-rotted  barnyard 
manure  should  be  applied  at  the  rate  of  not  less  than 
thirty  loads  to  the  acre.  The  manure  should  be  spread 
evenly  over  the  ground,  and  ploughed  immediately  in, 
six  or  eight  inches  deep.  The  subsoil  plough  should 
be  run  in  every  furrow,  sixteen  or  eighteen  inches 
deep.  The  ground  should  now  be  ploughed  with  a 
surface-plough,  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep.  If  two 
hundred  pounds  of  the  best  Peruvian  guano  be  now 
sowed  on  and  harrowed  in,  it  will  give  the  plants  a 


fine  start.     The  ground  should  be  raked  with  a  garden- 
rake,  and  made  as  level  as  possible. 

PLANTING  AND  CULTIVATION. — The  seed  may  now 
be  planted ;  four  pounds  of  seed  will  be  sufficient  for 
an  acre.  The  rows  should  be  twelve  inches  apart 
The  drill  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  plant  the  seed 
in  hills,  four  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  and  three  or 
four  seeds  in  a  place.  This  will  be  found  more  conve- 
nient for  hoeing  than  a  continuous  drill,  and  the  yield 
will  be  as  good.  The  seed  should  be  covered  about 
half  an  inch  deep,  either  by  the  drill,  or  by  passing 
the  hoe  lightly  over  the  rows. 

As  soon  as  the  plants  can  be  seen,  they  should  be 
hoed.  This  may  be  done  if  the  ground  is  free  from 
weeds,  by  drawing  a  small  hand-cultivator  between 
them ;  or,  if  the  ground  is  weedy,  the  hoe  must  be  used. 
The  ground  should  next  be  stirred  around  the  roots 
of  the  plants.  A  small  hoe,  with  four  prongs  on  one 
side,  and  a  narrow  edge  on  the  other,  will  be  found 
very  convenient.  These  are  made  of  malleable  iron, 
and  are  sold  at  six  cents  each.  If  the  ground  is  freo 
from  weeds,  four  hoeings  may  be  sufficient.  If  the 
crop  appear  sluggish  in  the  early  stages  of  its  growth, 
a  liquid  manure  may  be  prepared  by  dissolving  one 
hundred  pounds  of  Peruvian  Guano  in  water,  and 
sprinkling  it  on  with  a  watering-pot.  This  will  be 
sufficient  for  an  acre  of  ground. 

At  the  second  hoeing,  carrots  may  be  drilled  between 
the  rows,  if  desired.  Drilled  in  at  this  time,  they  will 
be  no  injury  to  the  onion  crop,  and  I  have  frequently 
known  the  carrots  to  pay  all  the  expense  of  cultivating 
both  crops.  If  this  is  not  done,  it  is  well  to  sow  the 
ground  with  common  turnips  before  the  last  hoeing, 
as  a  good  crop  may  be  raised  in  this  way  with  no  other 
trouble  than  sowing  the  seed  and  harvesting  the  crop. 

HARVESTING  AND  STORING. — The  onions,  when  ripe, 
may  be  turned  out  of  the  ground  by  passing  a  hoe 
under  the  rows.  If  intended  for  winter,  they  should 
be  left  on  the  ground  till  perfectly  dry.  If  the  weather 
is  dry,  three  or  four  days  will  answer.  The  husks  will 
then  peel  off,  and  they  will  assume  a  bright-red  color, 
which  makes  them  more  salable.  They  should  be 
gathered  and  stored  without  trimming.  If  any  still 
remain  with  green  tops,  they  ought  to  be  thrown  out, 
as  they  may  heat. 

A  cool  dry  cellar  will  be  found  the  best  place  for 
keeping  onions — the  cellar  of  some  out-buikling,  as  a 
barn  or  carriage-house.  The  cellar  of  a  dwelling- 
house  is  generally  too  warm.  A  little  freezing  will 
do  them  no  harm.  A  bin  should  be  made  in  some  dry 
corner,  with  a  floor  raised  a  few  inches  from  the  ground. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  keep  them  perfectly  dry,  or 
they  will  be  very  likely  to  rot.  Care  should  likewise 
be  taken  in  carting  and  placing  in  the  cellar,  that  the 
onions  are  not  bruised,  or  they  will  soon  decay.  Ground 
treated  as  above  described,  may  be  planted  with  oniona 
every  year  in  succession,  and  if  this  treatment  is  perse- 
vered in,  the  crop  will  improve  for  several  years. 


EXPERIENCE   OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS, 


No.  XVI. 


BY  THOMAS  FULTON,  WAYNE  CO.,  PA. 


QUALITIES  OP  LAND. — To  raise  a  good  crop  of  onions, 
tho  Idnd  is  required  to  be,  1st.  New,  that  is,  lately 
brought  ia  from  rich  sod,  and  then  there  will  be  but 
few  weeds  to  contend  with  in  the  culture ;  2d.  Rich 
on  the  top :  the  land  can  not  be  made  too  rich  for  onions, 
but  the  rjchness  should  be  on  the  top  of  the  land,  as 
the  onion  roots  will  not  descend  into  -the  ground  more 
than  an  inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  at  furthest ;  and 
3d.  The  land  should  be  well  settled,  as,  if  the  land  be 
rich  and  soft,  the  onions  will  grow  to  tops,  or  what  are 
called  (in  Europe)  "  scallions,"  but  if  the  land  has  been 
well  settled,  they  will  grow  to  roots,  or  what  is  called 
onions. 

PREPARATION  OP  GROUND.  —  To  obtain  the  above 
results,  the  land  should  be  prepared  the  previous  year. 
In  Europe,  especially .  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  where 
onions  are  extensively  raised  as  a  paying  crop  for 
market,  the  land  (generally  rich  sod)  is  ploughed  early 
in  spring,  neatly  and  light,  into  narrow  ridges,  say  five 
feet  ridge  and  furrow,  and  about  the  middle  of  May, 
the  land  is  harrowed,  and  the  manure  (good  barnyard) 
put  on ;  the  ridges  are  lined  out  four  feet  wide,  and  the 
manure  spread  evenly  and  broken  fine.  It  is  then 
planted  with  potatoes.  The  seed  is  dropped  in  rows 
across  the  ridge,  about  eight  inches  apart  in  the  row, 
and  the  rows  about  a  foot  from  each  other.  The  pota- 
toes are  then  covered  about  an  inch  deep  out  of  the 
furrow,  the  mould  spread  evenly  and  broken  fine. 
They  remain  so  until  the  potato  plants  begin  to  appear, 
or  when  the  "  buds  "  are  bursting  the  top  of  the  land. 
Then  the  furrows  are  dug  with  a  spade,  and  the  mould 
broken  fine  in  them ;  the  mould  is  shoveled  out  of  the 
furrow,  and  spread  evenly  over  the  ridge  about  two 
inches  deep,  after  which  they  require  no  more  labor 
(except  weeding,  which  should  not  be  neglected,  lest 
the  seeds  of  the  weeds  remain  and  give  trouble  in  the 
ensuing  crop)  until  the  fall,  when  the  potatoes  are  fit 
for  digging  up.  This  is  done  with  a  spade  :  the  ridge 
is  all  dug  over  evenly,  the  potatoes  picked  up,  care 
being  taken  to  keep  the  rich  mould  on  the  top  of  the 
ridge.  The  land  remains  in  this  way  until  sowing-time 
the  ensuing  spring.  The  land  is  well  raked  with  an 
iron  garden-rake.  This  will  make  sufficient  mould.  The 
onion  seeils  then  sown,  and  covered  by  raking  it  in ; 
it  is  then  clapped  over  with  the  back  of  a  spade,  or  by 
passing  a  hand-roller  over  it ;  this  is  called  sowing  on 
the  "  winter  face,'1'1  and  I  have  never  seen  this  fail  to 
produce  a  good  crop  of  onions.  I  have  seen  acres  pre- 
pared and  raised  in  this  way. 

The  objection  to  the  above  mode  of  preparing  the 
land  in  this  country  is,  that  it  requires  a  good  deal  of 


manual  labor,  which  is  scarce  and  expensive  here. 
Where  this  is  the  case — 

SECOND  METHOD. — I  would  say,  plough  rich  sod,  sow 
it  in  buckwheat,  and  when  the  buckwheat  is  cut  and 
taken  off,  plough  the  land  neatly  and  light  into  narrow 
ridges,  five  feet  ridge  and  furrow ;  let  it  remain  for 
some  time  to  settle  and  rot  any  weeds,  then  harrow 
well  and  put  on  the  manure.  Mark  or  line  out  the 
ridges  four  feet  wide,  leaving  one  foot  for  a  furrow; 
spread  the  manure  evenly,  and  break  it  fine.  Trench 
up  the  furrows  and  cover  the  manure  evenly,  let  the 
land  remain  until  sowing  time  in  spring,  and  prepare 
and  put  in  the  onion  seed  on  the  "winter  face,''  as 
above.  I  have  not  tried  this,  but  I  believe  it  will  be 
found  to  produce  a  good  crop. 

THIRD  METHOD. — To  prepare  the  land  the  fall  pre- 
vious to  sowing  the  onion  seed,  for  small  quantities. 

Dig  the  patch  (intended  for  onions)  with  a  spade,  a 
foot  deep,  turn  the  top  down,  cover  all  grass  or  weeds, 
and  break  it  fine.  Then  mark  out  the  ridges  four  feet 
wide,  leaving  a  foot  for  a  furrow  between  the  ridges. 
Then  take  a  hoe,  and  draw  the  mould  evenly  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  deep  from  half-way  across  the  ridges  on 
either  side,  to  the  place  marked  out  for  the  furrow ; 
spread  the  manure  on  the  ridge  (thus  hollowed)  evenly, 
and  break  it  fine ;  shovel  the  mould  collected  on  the 
furrow,  and  cover  the  manure,  leave  it  so  until  sowing- 
time  the  ensuing  spring ;  then  rake  it  well,  and  sow 
the  onion  seed,  cover  with  the  rake,  and  clap  it  over 
with  the  back  of  a  spade. 

FOURTH  METHOD. — To  prepare  the  land  at  the  time 
of  sowing  the  onion  seed :  dig  it  a  foot  deep,  mark  out 
the  ridges  as  in  third  method,  and  spread  on  the  manure, 
which  should  be  well-rotted  cow-dung.  Horse-dung  ia 
not  good — it  has  a  tendency  to  get  dry  and  mouldy. 
Break  the  manure  very  fine,  and  cover  it  out  of  the 
furrow  an  inch  and  a  half  deep ;  pass  the  rake  over  it, 
and  sow  the  seed  ;  cover  with  the  rake,  and  clap  it 
well  all  over  with  a  spade,  to  settle  and  close  the  land. 
I  have  raised  good  crops  of  onions  in  both  these  ways, 
and  the  largest  onions  I  ever  raised,  or  saw  raised, 
were  in  this  last  way ;  but  the  manure  was  taken  out 
of  the  privy,  and  mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of 
house-ashes. 

In  selecting  the  seed,  go  to  a  respectable  seed-store  ; 
select  that  which  has  the  least  small  or  blind  seeds 
in  it.  If  it  is  new  seed,  it  is  softer,  and  tastes  stronger 
of  the  onion  than  if  it  is  old  seed.  White  glolt  or 
white  flat,  mixed  with  a  little  red,  say  one  third  red,  will 
do  well. 

TIME  OP  SOWING  THE  SEED. — In  this  country  w« 


28 


HOW  TO   EAISE   ONIONS, 


can  not  fix  a  certain  time.  In  some  places  and  some 
seasons  the  land  may  be  ready  to  receive  the  seed 
earlier  than  at  others ;  but  when  the  frost  is  fully  out, 
and  the  land  dry  enough  for  sowing,  and  vegetation 
has  set  in,  then  I  would  sow  the  seed;  about  a  seed  to 
the  square  inch  is  sufficient. 

WEEDING  THE  ONIONS. — When  they  come  up,  if 
weeds  appear,  pick  them  out  as  soon  as  possible.  You 
can  with  more  safety  to  the  crop  pull  out  the  weeds 
when  small,  than  if  they  are  allowed  to  grow  large  : 
then  they  are  liable  to  injure  the  roots  of  the  onions  in 
pulling  them,  and  if  allowed  to  grow  large,  they  exhaust 
the  land,  the  whole  strength  of  which  should  go  to 
raise  the  onions. 

MANAGEMENT  OP  THE  CROP. — When  the  onions 
have  got  up  to  be  pretty  large  in  the  tops,  (in  Europe,) 
those  of  them  which  do  not  show  a  disposition  to  make 
a  head,  but  grow  up  with  a  luxuriant  top,  (these  they 
call  "scallions,")  are  pulled  out,  and  taken  to  market; 
this  gives  room  and  air  to  those  that  are  forming  the 
onion  at  the  root.  When  they  begin  to  ripen,  which 
they  will  show  by  the  tops  beginning  to  wither,  then 
with  the  hand  twist  the  stems  of  those  which  still 
show  a  disposition  to  grow  to  tops  and  not  make  root, 
about  half-way  up  between  the  root  and  where  the 
tops  branch  off;  this  will  prevent  the  sap  from  going 
to  the  top,  and  cause  them  to  grow  at  the  root.  When 
they  get  ripe  and  fit  for  pulling,  which  will  be  shown 
by  the  tops  withering  off,  pull  those  that  are  thus 
withered  off,  and  dry  them  on  cloths  until  they  are 


thoroughly  dried.  Those  whose  tops  are  not  fully 
withered,  leave  remaining  some  time  longer,  and  iwisl 
the  tops  a  little  more  severely ;  and  when  you  think  they 
will  make  no  further  improvement  by  remaining,  pull 
them  all  up,  and  string  them  like  apples,  passing  the 
needle  through  the  stems  an  inch  or  two  above  the 
head,  and  hang  them  up  to  dry  either  in  the  sunshine 
by  day,  bringing  them  in  by  night,  or  near  to  the 
fire  or  stove,  until  they  are  fully  dried. 

Then  take  the  strings,  and  those  whose  tops  are  not 
fully  withered  off,  and  w'th  a  penknife  open  the  dry 
peels  a  little  off  above  the  head,  and  with  the  blade  of  the 
penknife  scoop  the  stems  out  of  the  heart  of  the  onion, 
and  close1  up  the  withered  peels  on  the  top.  This  is 
called  "gelding  the  onion"  This  prevents  them  from 
spouting  when  they  are  kept  over,  as  such  onions  have 
a  tendency  to  sprout  if  not  used  soon. 

Then  the  onions  are  ready  for  marketing.  This  is 
done  according  to  the  wishes  of  the  cultivator.  Some 
pick  them,  and  sell  the  best  at  the  highest  price,  and 
the  others  at  what  they  will  bring,  and  some  take  them 
all  together,  and  sell  at  an  average  price  for  the  whole. 

• 

NOTES. — Six  pounds  of  good 'seed  will  be  sufficient 
for  an  acre. 

There  are  in  an  acre  five  hundred  and  twenty  perches 
of  a  five  foot  wide  ridge  and  furrow,  which  will,  if  well 
managed,  produce  over  a  bushel  to  the  perch  or  rod. 

Twenty  wagon  loads  of  good  manure  will  manure 
an  acre  well. 


No.  XVII. 


BY  STILLMAN  MORGAN,  ADDISON  CO.,  VT. 


IF  a  man  has  only  a  small  piece  of  ground  that  he 
can  call  his  own,  perhaps  there  is  no  crop  more  profit- 
able than  the  onion  crop.  The  writer  has  raised  this 
vegetable  each  year  for  thirty  years.  His  success  is 
owing  to  experiments  tried  and  varied  until  the  best  is 
found. 

THE  GARDENER. — You  wish  only  to  cultivate  from 
one  bushel  to  five.  Find  the  "potato  onion."  But 
if  you  can  not  find  that  kind,  get  the  "  top  onion,  " 
which  is  nearest  to  it.  The  reason  I  recommend  these 
varieties  to  the  gardener  is,  that  the  crop  is  sure,  and 
always  grows  clear  of  maggots.  If  you  have  plenty 
ot  them,  take  great  and  small,  and  use  them  all  for  seed. 

FOR  THE  FIELD. — Use  the  common  black  seed  of 
the  white  globe,  or  the  "  Wethersfield  red;"  I  prefer 
the  latter.  The  Wethersfield  reds  look  best  in  the 
halt-bushel,  yield  best,  and  sell  best  in  market.  If 
you  take  any  other  kind,  look  out  for  good  yielders. 

PREPARATION  or  GROUND. — Select  interval,  made 
land,  that  seems  to  have  been  brought  from  all  direc- 


tions ;  no  matter  if  there  is  a  good  proportion  of  mujk. 
But  if  it  is  clear  muck,  cart  on  gravel,  a  good  mixture. 
If  your  ground  be  clay,  cart  on  loam  or  any  kind  of 
light  soil.  But  if  your  ground  is  light  loam  on  sandy 
soil,  cart  on  clay  quite  abundantly.  But  if  your  land 
is  a  naked  rock,  and  nobody  will  let  you  into  their 
field  for  materials  to  make  land  of,  then  go  into  the 
highway  ;  find  a  "  sag  "  or  low  place,  that  has  received 
wash  from  roads  or  buildings  or  any  where  else.  Cart 
it  to  the  place  desired.  And  then  you  have  an  onion- 
bed  for  a  hundred  years — don't  change  places  often. 

When  the  soil  is  to  your  mind,  then  cartfan  any  kind 
of  rich  manure;  do  this  early,  and  have  the  ground 
ploughed  early  in  September.  Then  there  will  be  time 
for  all  foul  seeds  to  grow,  but  not  having  time  to  mature, 
you  will  loose  your  weeds. 

Then  in  the  spring,  as  early  as  possible,  plough  agaiu ; 
that  .will  leave  the  manure  well  mixed  and  near  the 
top.  Now  put  on  your  harrow  or  muck-rake,  and 
r>ulverize  as  fine  as  possible.  Strike  out  your  ground 


EXPERIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL   GROWERS. 


29 


In  handsome  form.  Thea  if  you  have  e-nough  ground 
to  pay,  get  a  professional  seed-sower.  lie  will  come 
with  a  little  machine,  and  sow  three  or  four  rows  at  a 
time  as  fast  as  he  can  walk.  Gauge  your  machine  so 
as  to  have  the  onions,  when  grown,  so  near  as  to  touch 
each  other.  But  have  the  rows  so  far  apart,  that  a 
common  hoe  will  pass  between.  Do  not  be  afraid  of 
tramping  your  ground,  especially  if  the  soil  is  light. 

WEEDING. — As  the  roots  of  onions,  many  of  them, 
grow  near  the  surface,  do  not  chop  down  deep  with 
your  hoe  to  cut  them  off;  many  a  good  bed  of  onions 
has  been  spoiled  by  late  weeding,  by  disturbing  the 
ground  too  deeply.  I  like  to  have  my  onions  hoed  in 
the  morning,  while  the  dew  is  on.  If  you  are  going  to 
raise  onions  indeed,  don't  be  afraid  of  soiling  your 
knees.  Do  not  cover  up  the  onion  too  deep,  nor  leave 
".t  so  as  te  fall  this  way  and  that,  by  taking  away  too 
much  dirt  from  it. 

"TopONioxs"  OR  "POTATO." — When  your  ground 
is  ready,  have  a  sort  of  furrowing  instrument.  It  is  a 
home-made  thing.  Make  a  thing  just  like  a  rake,  with 
no  teeth  in  it ;  then  put  in  as  many  teeth  as  you  wish 
<;o  mark  rows  with,  once  going  across  the  bed.  Or 
instead  of  teeth,  nail  on  rockers.  Then  push  the  rake 
so  made,  before  you.  And  when  you  return,  place  the 
end-rocker  in  the  outside  furrow ;  thus  do  until  your 
rows  are  all  marked. 

SOWING. — Take  your  onions  or  seed  in  a  basket  by 
your  side,  go  down  on  your  knees,  and  put  in  one  at  a 
time.  But  be  sure  you  put  it  right  end  up,  or  the 
onion  will  grow  heels  over  head.  Cover  the  seed  just 
out  of  sight. 

SALT. — When  you  have  done  planting  or  sowing  your 
onions,  whatever  kind  they  are,  sow  on  salt,  common 
salt.  Sow  as  thick  as  peas.  I  would  do  this  again, 
perhaps  in  June,  not  so  much  the  last  time.  Whether 
field  or  garden  onions,  go  out  in  the  morning  while  the 
dew  is  on,  or  after  a  shower,  take  dry  unleached  ashes, 
and  with  a  shingle  throw  them  up  into  the  air,  and  let 
them  fall  in  a  cloud  of  dust  on  the  onions.  Repeat 
this  two  or  three  times  while  the  onions  are  growing. 
And  I  had  forgotten  to  say  that  coal-dust,  taken  from 
old  coal-pits  or  from  forges,  with  leached  ashes  coated 
on,  and  well  mixed  in  the  groui  il  before  ploughing,  will 


well  pay.  If  your  land  is  quite  clayey,  leave  out  the 
ashes.  I  think  the  coal-dust  and  salt,  besides  very 
much  quickening  the  growth  of  these  vegetables,  keep 
off  the  maggot-fly. 

Go  into  store-cellars,  where  they  have  sold  fish  and 
meat,  and  they  will  give  you  the  salt  and  brine.  And 
when  you  are  about  it,  get  all  they  can  spare.  Then 
if  you  have  any  to  spare,  put  it  on  your  muck  heap,  for 
other  crops. 

If  you  are  at  a  loss  what  kind  of  onions  to  cultivate, 
inquire  for  the  greatest  yielders  and  the  quickest  to 
sell. 

Then  the  onions  you  wish  to  keep  for  your  own  use, 
trace  them  up  and  hang  them  in  a  dry  place  until 
well  seasoned,  then  hang  them  in  the  cellar-way  for 
all  winter. 

If  you  have  any  to  sell,  take  a  fair  specimen  of  them ; 
then  go  and  show  them  where  you  wish  to  sell.  But 
by  all  means  do  not  let  them  remain  long  on  your 
hands.  If  you  keep  them  long  in  heaps,  they  will  rot. 
And  then  you  had  better  have  any  thing  else.  Let 
them  slide  at  the  then  present  prices.  You  can  well 
afford  them  for  fifty  cents  a  bushel,  but  you  will 
oftener  get  a  dollar.  For  your  seed  potato-onions,  you 
should  have  from  two  dollars  to  two  and  a  half  per 
bushel.  The  seed  of  the  top -onions  I  have  usually 
sold  for  from  four  to  five  dollars  per  bushel.  I  have 
sent  out  barrels  of  this  seed  to  distant  States,  though 
I  have  none  now  to  sell. 

Of  the  top-onions,  I  have  raised  at  the  rate  of  seven 
hundred  bushels  per  acre.  And  one  of  my  neighbors, 
who  followed  my  directions,  raised  at  the  rate  of  eight 
kundred  per  acre.  But  I  have  never  seen  any  kind 
that  yields  so  well  as  the  Wethersfield  reds. 

If  you  wish  to  get  good  onions  in  June,  set  out  any 
kind  of  an  old  onion,  and  when  the  top  begins  to  form 
as  if  to  go  to  seed,  cut  off  the  main  stalk,  and  it  will 
bottom.  But  these  bottoms  will  never  winter,  but 
rot.  Eat  them  green,  or  supply  the  market. 

If  you  want  good,  new,  fresh  onions  in  May,  go  to 
the  woods,  and  search  in  low  places,  and  there  gather 
leeks.  Or  if  you  prefer  it,  raise  cives,  which  are  the 
lowest  species  of  the  onion. 


30 


HOW   TO   RAISE    ONIONS. 


THE  ONION  FLY,— Anthomyia  Ceparum. 


Fig.  1. 

IN  travelling  through  the  county  of  Essex,  N.  T.,  a 
short  time  since,  particularly  along  the  beautiful  plains 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Au-Sable  River,  I  had  my  atten- 
tion repeatedly  attracted  to  the  withered  and  sickly 
appearance  of  nearly  all  the  fields  of  onions,  through 
which  I  passed.  Upon  inquiring  the  cause,  I  was  in- 
variably told  that  it  was  the  effects  of  a  worm,  and 
that  it  was  extremely  doubtful  if  a  single  tuber  Jn  a 
healthful  condition  would  be  obtained  in  a  hundred 
plants.  This  excited  my  curiosity,  and  on  raising  the 
bulbs  from  the  earth,  I  had  little  difficulty  in  recogniz- 
ing the  larva  of  a  Dipterous  (two-winged)  insect,  be- 
longing to  a  species  which  in  England,  as  well  as  in 
many  other  parts  of  Europe,  for  the  last  twenty  years, 
have  almost  entirely  destroyed  the  onion  crops,  upon 
the  cultivation  of  which  so  considerable  an  amount  of 
labor  and  experience  have  been  expended.  To  such  a 
degree  have  their  ravages  extended  in  those  countries, 


Flg.S. 


Fig.  8. 


that  the  husbandmen  have  been  driven  to  the  necessi- 
ty of  abandoning  the  culture  of  this  important  vegeta- 
ble, not  having  yet  met  with  any  efficient  remedy  for 
the  destruction  of  their  enemy. 

Much  uncertainty  still  seems  to  prevail  among  ento- 
mologists respecting  the  peculiar  habits  and  instincts 
of  this  little  depredator,  and  we  greatly  fear  that  they 
will  long  remain  in  ignorance,  unless  some  interested 
and  intelligent  individual,  residing  on  the  spot,  and 
having  daiiy  access  to  the  plants,  shall  establish  a 
genes  ot  practical  observations  on  their  habits,  and  in 


this  manner  trace  them  through  their  various  stages 
of  existence,  up  to  the  perfect  fly.  Until  this  is  ac- 
complished, and  not  till  then,  will  we  with  any  degree 
of  certainty  be  able  to  suggest  any  reasonable  method 
for  effectually  removing  them.  If  it  be  not  dona 
speedily,  a  knowledge  of  the  prolific  manner  of  their 
increase,  makes  it  probable  that  they  will,  in  the  course 
of  but  a  few  years,  spread  <*ver  the  whole  country,  and 
almost,  if  not  entirely,  obliterate  this  highly  useful 
vegetable  from  our  gardens. 

This  insect  depredator  is,  I  think,  undoubtedly  the 
Anthomyia  ceparum,  of  Meigen,  or  a  species  so  closely 
allied,  as  to  differ  but  little  from  it  in  any  of  its 
hajrits. 

It  is  shown  at  e,  fig.  1,  somewhat  magnified,  the  ac- 
tual length  being  indicated  by  the  perpendicular,  and 
the  spread  of  the  wings  by  the  horizontal  line,  below 
the  cut  of  the  fly ;  c  and  d,  same  fig.,  show  the  pupa, 
from  which  the  insect  emerges,  c  being  the  natural 
size,  and  d  magnified.  It  belongs  to  the  second  gen- 
eral division  of  the  Muscides,  that  of  the  Anthomyzides, 
which  is  composed  of  species,  all  of  whom  have  greatly 
the  appearance  of  common  flies. 

The  larva  of  this  insect,  a  in  fig.  2,  is  about  £  of  an 
inch  in  length,  fleshy,  and  of  a  white  color.  It  is  of  a 
conical  form,  with  a  smooth  and  shining  surface,  an<j 
entirely  free  from  any  external  superficial  appendages. 
The  incisions  are  finely  granulate,  and  the  last  and 
largest  segment  is  obliquely  truncated  at  its  base,  upon 
which  is  placed  a  surrounding  border  of  eight  small 
knots,  or  projecting  points,  as  seen  at  6,  fig.  2,  repre- 
senting the  larva  magnified. 

The  female  fly  deposits  its  eggs  on  the  base  of  the 
stem  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  which  in  a  few 
days  become  hatched,  the  larvae  immediately  penetrat- 
ing between  the  leaves  to  the  bulb,  upon  which  it 
preys  unseen ;  but  the  effects  soon  become  visible,  for 


Fig.  4.  Fig.  5. 

the  leaves  turn  yellow,  fall  prostrate  on  the  ground, 
and  quickly  wither  away.  These  are  shown  in  figs.  3 
and  4.  In  the  course  of  about  two  weeks  they  arrive 


EXPEDIENCE    OF   PRACTICAL    GROWERS. 


ai  maturity,  and  change  to  the  pupa  state,  fig  5,  and 
in  from  fifteen  or  twenty  days  more  emerge  the  perfect 
fly,  fully  prepared  to  accomplish  their  depredations  by 
depositing  their  eggs  upon  the  more  healthy  plants. 
A.S  many  as  from  one  to  five  of  the  larvaB  were  fre- 
uuently  to  be  met  with  on  a  single  plant. 

The  perfect  insect  is  about  half  the  size  of  the  com- 
mon nouse-fiy,  with  a  few  thinly  scattered  hairs  cover- 
ing the  surface  of  the  body.  It  is  of  an  ash-gray  color, 
the  males  being  distinguished  by  a  series  of  dark  stripes 
upon  the  back.  The  head  is  marked  with  a  brownish 
spot  upon  its  apex.  The  wings  are  exceedingly  trans- 
parent, exhibiting  beautiful  iridescent  reflections  from 
their  surfaces,  the  shoulders  of  which  are  of  an  ochery- 
brown  color,  and  the  veins  of  brownish  yellow. 

This  fly  may  not  unfrequently  be  met  with  in  the 
spring  of  the  year,  basking  in  the  sunshine  about  the 
windows  of  the  neighboring  dwellings.  And  from  the 
circumstance  of  finding  their  larvae  in  the  greatest  pro- 
fusion, committing  their  depredations  in  the  middle  and 
latter  parts  of  August,  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that 
they  pass  through  several  generations  in  a  season,  and 
that  they  probably  make  use  of  the  seed  of  the  plant, 
on  which  to  deposit  the  egg  for  the  larvae  of  the  en- 
suing spring.  If  this  be  so,  steeping  the  seeds  in 
brine,  before  sowing,  we  should  suppose  would  be  the 
proper  remedy ;  if  otherwise,  the  process  will  not  mate- 
rially affect  their  germination.  They  appear  to  show 
a  distinct  predilection  lor  the  white  onion,  in  preference 
to  that  of  any  other  color. 


This  insect  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  destroy. 
Strewing  the  earth  with  ashes  has  proved  of  little 
avail;  powdered  charcoal  answers  a  much  better  pur- 
pose, and  is  generally  in  use  in  this  section  of  country, 
but  it  should  ouly  be  thrown  over  about  two  thirds  of 
the  bed,  so  as  to  leave  a  portion  of  the  plants  for  them 
to  resort  to  on  being  brought  to  the  perfect  state,  and 
driven  from  their  original  resting-place.  When  they 
have  been  converted  to  the  larva  state  and  commenced 
their  depredations,  these  plants  should  be  pulled  up 
and  consumed  by  fire. 

It  has  been  recommended  to  prepare  the  beds  as 
early  in  the  spring  as  convenient,  and  suffer  them  to 
remain  eight  or  ten  days  for  the  noxious  plants  to 
vegetate,  then  to  cover  them  with  straw  to  the  depth 
of  ten  inches,  and  burn  them  over ;  after  which,  plant 
the  seeds  for  the  ensuing  crop  immediately.  This  pro- 
cess, it  is  stated,  has  proved  perfectly  successful  in 
driving  away  the  insects  and  insuring  good  crops,  and 
in  addition  to  this,  has  furnished  a  capital  top-dressing 
to  the  soil.  Onion-beds  prepared  from  the  hearths 
upon  which  charcoal  has  been  burned,  have  likewise 
been  mentioned  as  producing  the  perfect  vegetable, 
entirely  free  from  the  attacks  of  the  fly. 

Should  the  charcoal  method  here  mentioned,  be  uni- 
versally adopted,  we  have  little  doubt  but  that  this 
insect  depredator  will  in  a  short  time  become  greatly 
reduced  in  number  if  not  entirely  destroyed,  and  afford 
a  much  better  chance  for  a  more  healthful  crop  of  tho 
onion  plants  hereafter.  J.  K, 


CULTURE. 


PRACTICAL  DETAILS, 

From  the  Selection  and  Preparation  of  the  Seed  and  the 

Soil,  to  Harvesting,  Curing  and  Marketing  the  Crop, 

Including  several  Illustrative  ENGKRAVIISrGrS. 


PLAIN  DIRECTIONS  AS  GIVEN 


BY  FOURTEEN  EXPERIENCED  CULTIVATORS, 

Residing  in  different  parts  of  the  United  States,  most  of  whom  have 
had  long  practice  in  the  growing  of  Tobacco. 

ALSO,  NOTES  ON  THE  TOBACCO  WORM,  WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


TWELFTH    THOUSAND. 


New  -  Tor  A:  : 
PUBLISHED    BY    ORANOE    JUDD    &    CO., 

245    B  ROADWAY. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863,  by  ORANGE  JUDD,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District 
Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


MANUAI      OF 


FLAX  CULTURE, 

SlflN 


CULTURE 


DRESSING 


u 

With  other  Essays  and  Statements,  Copious  Illustrations,  and  a  Glossary,  / 

J 

AI,T.    BY  fa 

PRACTICAL     FLAX-GROWERS,    f 

Of  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  Canada,  Ireland,  and  Germany.  J 

f\ 


CO., 


\<*tr  -  Kor//: 

.ISIIKI)     KV    ORANGE    J1TDD 
245   Broadway. 

L^^^-^^^-^^^^Q^-^^^^^gg^^ 


JCm«red,  nccorduig  t«  Act  of  CocgreM,  ID  the  y«»r   1S«&,  bv   ORAKOB  JUDD,  in   the  Clerk't  Ottice  of  the  UUtrict  Coart  of  the   Uniud  Swu«  (or   tk*  SouUi»r« 

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